Hsinchu City, Taiwan
Structured by a series of connecting stairs, Co-Living Home by Wenyuan Peng of Yuan Architects rethinks co-living by building a vertical sense of community on a small plot in downtown Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
Co-Living Home opens possibilities for the wonderful living among the narrow alleys lining the old neighborhoods of the city center.
In the corner of an alley in the city center, sitting on a base only four meters wide, a small residential building with one household on each floor is designed that is suitable for rent by young people.
Rethinking the flow of traditional residential apartments – the designers reexamine alternative possibilities for residential apartments.
Through a unique flow, they disrupt and break the rigid and homogenized style of traditional residences.
Using different stair layouts, indoor and outdoor are connected, drawing in the rich urban texture to the interior, and changing the experience of movement throughout the space.
Through the split-level floor plan, the public and private areas of the living space are distinguished, providing a spatial hierarchy for each small residential unit.
At the same time, this establishes a vertical sense of community among the different residential units in the building, serving as an attempt to create a fun and interactive residential space amidst the cold and indifferent atmosphere of the city center, and providing young people with another possibility and appearance for life in the city.
The staggered layout consisting of vertical split-level floors and moving shapes is the most important element of the residence.
With a surrounding of moving lines, the split-level space is fused with the structure and exterior appearance.
Stairs roam between the structure and outer wall, connecting the activities from the first floor to the roof garden, and framing the building’s appearance from the inside out.
At the same time, the exposed architectural elements resonate with the multiple layers of the interior space.
On the corner of the street, the building integrates the balconies on each floor through an inclined plate, extending the interior space outwards over the corner.
Penetrating and rich while offering multiple perspectives, a new inspiration for life in an old city alley has materialized.
Project: Co-Living Home
Architects: Yuan Architects
Lead Architect: Wenyuan Peng
Design Team: Louisa Lu, Stephen Liao, Zixiang Zhou, Minghsiu Lee, Weichen Lin, Rainy Lu, Chiangwei Wu, and Weichen Huang
Structural Engineers: ChangHao Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Client: Private
Photographers: YHLAA
