Living in the city gives us so many opportunities.
You are closer to your office, and the convenience of transportation, food, and other resources is readily available.
However, you still have to sacrifice some things.
The cost of living in the city is expensive, and sometimes, in order to save, we need to live in affordable yet small apartments.
We’ve seen many people living in a small space, and it’s not comfortable. Some only have one small table, a chair, a single bed, and a portable stove.
For Douglas Wan, living in a small apartment was not a drawback. It was an opportunity.
This young architect wanted to develop a small living space that would fit his personality and beliefs.
For Wan, living in the city was great, but he also wants to go home to a place that made him feel relaxed and in tune with his beliefs.
His inspiration was the monastic lifestyle with a modern twist.
The apartment was about four and a half by six meters. According to Wan, the apartment had potential, so he felt excited to put his ideas to reality.
The first thing that they did was to remove load-bearing walls and added a beam that was 7.4 meters that runs across the width of the apartment.
Then he allotted 1.8 meters for the kitchen.
Since his kitchen had limited width, he ensured he had enough space to cook. He added modern fixtures that were built with plywood.
He also worked with high contrast, such as the white rough building walls and the sleek black design of his kitchen.
There’s another tabletop on the side where he could put his kettle, rice cooker, and other stuff. Underneath was his washing machine.
On the other side, you’ll see his bathroom.
We love the black and red details of his bathroom tiles. There were also two mirrors that reflect light from the living room and the outside.
Again, he worked with contrasting light and darkness.
Once you come inside his home, you’ll have a glimpse of the light in the living room.
“I think it was quite a primal instinct to have a cave as you come in and then open up toward the light in the next room,” said Wan.
The first part of the apartment was dark, but there was a threshold before entering the living room, which was spacious and very well-lit.
“It’s about being in a compressive space and the expansion of space as you move a threshold. That is something used in religious buildings.”
Wan achieved his goal.
As you enter the living room, you will see his office desk, a big platform, and a well-lit room.
Wan said that he made sure that he achieved the separation of zones when he designed the apartment.
As you enter his apartment, you will see the functional zones, and then, entering his living space, you will see his spacious workspace, and where he sleeps.
He has a live-edged wood functional desk. Underneath, you’ll find his piano.
Wan’s spacious platform is where he puts his bed, and when there are people visiting, he would convert it into a social space.
He also wanted an apartment where he could make the most of the space without buying conventional furniture.
The young architect also said that he spent around 50-80 thousand in renovation alone.
Wan said that his lifestyle isn’t for everyone. While it’s true, we also greatly appreciate how he views life.
Follow this young architect’s Instagram account here and don’t forget to watch his interview below.
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