Project: Model Duplex at Yanlord Marina Center
Architects: T.K. Chu Design
Location: Zhuhai, China
Area: 7,534 sf (site)
Photographs by: Boris Shiu
Model Duplex – A Curvaceous Costal Apartment
Gateway
Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” shows people the power of life facing death, but Qiu Deguang focuses instead on children and the sea because of the implication of life, warmth, and hope. As a result, we see the artist He Lang’s work “Crying Children” echoing within the Center’s gateway, a transparent bubble glass screen, each bubble like a rainy day’s condensation of water and gas.
Living Room
The living room presents a multi-dimensional art perception of essence and strength. The artistic device hanging on the wall, the rhythm of the sea water under the sun, gentle yet rapid, along with the curve of the whole space structure, reflects the ever-changing sea surface, bearing the same line with the architecture. The carpet is a tangible performance of the waves caressing the beach, as one sits on the ground overlooking the sparkling waves.
In addition, due to the architectural design of a large area of floor-touching windows and a space cut by a large crossbeam, T.K.Chu Design skillfully outlines an arc to reflect the distant island, framing the scenery in a gentle way, as if the condensed spray art device is also within this frame of view.
The artist Zhang Guoliang’s ‘soap bubble’, depicting a childhood of unconditional happiness dreamily extends to the sculpture downstairs while floating in midair. On the 32F to 33F‘s staircase, the art piece bestow the space a warm and childlike breath, thus every visitor may experience a subtle feeling of pureness and sheer happiness. ‘Those who wish to enter this space can regain the power of hope and courage,’ T.K.Chu explains. In order to conform to the special interior inclined wall surface of the building, and to create art in the space, Chu carved the staircase along a curve, completely covering it with stone. On the 33F, the corridor leads to the floor space, and the viewer is again welcomed by the artist Zhang Guoliang’s work. According to the varying effects of surface oxidation, copper metal polished materials grant the space different characteristics.
In T.K.Chu’s design, art is not just pretentious posturing, but a delicate perception, a creation. The wall decoration, seems to be condensed indoor water, echoes the sea, and above all, like foam waiting for irradiating light, glows majestically.
Tea Room
The tea room structure relies on the inspiration of the old adage ‘water dripping through stone’, inserting green plants into the space. T.K.Chu Design hopes to break away from the traditional cultural tea area design pattern, and through the height of the background wall’s arch to create a sense of rhythm in the space.
Recreational Room
The main entertainment room is calm and comfortable, a water-blue carpet coupled with a stone tea table, floating in the sea reef islands so that the space extends into a receding view of Zhuhai. The Study is themed as a city seascape, with bold color blocks jumping out of a spacious tonality, setting up a suggestion of an arc, luxurious yet unaffected.
The dressing room is reflected in the full open main bath space; in the mirror it looks like two full moons rising from the sea, their light projected on the sea, and the sea itself forming a glittering silver belt, illusorily blurred. The mosaic of the floor guides ones vision to the bottom wall of the end point; the black marble bathtub made of pure stone locks the whole space into a light white tone, focusing the vision, drawing a perfect conclusion of the ‘sea’. The shadows that shake in the waves of water are like flames in crystal.
-Project description and images provided by T.K. Chu Design
