Originally the location did not have a good layout:
The entrance lacked natural light source due to the windowless condition and the balcony was on the side that faces a mountain. The single light source into the central area was blocked by the middle piping and the bathroom. Additionally, the beam height was only 220cm.
The way we dealt with the height was to strengthen the look of the beam. By adding black iron veneer, the ceiling brought harmony and continuity into the space. The slightly lowered height visual covers the weaknesses of the original beam, making the ceiling a cohesive boundary symbol.
The ceiling frames created a new plane configuration and distinguished the areas clearly: the living room and the dining room; the bedroom, the study room and the Japanese den. At the same time, the ceiling also serves as a visual guide from the outside rooms to the inside rooms.
And in response to the one-sided external light source, we minimized the proportions of the partition walls by using flexible sliding doors and glass compartments to direct natural light into the dining area as much as possible.
The walls between the existing piping became the main vantage point that brought continuity and integration to the bathroom and the dressing room.
In order to highlight the symbol of limitation on the ceiling, the selection of elevation and floor materials focused on a clean and undivided neutral tone.
The goal of this design is to show that the limitations of space and light should not be separated by material boundaries.