Before & After: Built-In Storage Unlocks the Potential of a Family’s Small Hong Kong Flat
Sleek floor-to-ceiling joinery maximizes space and enhances sight lines for twin boys and their parents.
Sleek floor-to-ceiling joinery maximizes space and enhances sight lines for twin boys and their parents.
When IT engineer Eric Chan and freelance writer Mary Wong set out to optimize their brick-heavy Hong Kong apartment for the wellbeing of their five-year-old twin boys, they reached out to a friend, architect Patrick Lam of Sim-Plex Design Studio, to lead a renovation that would set the scene for a richer family life.
Set in the private residential area of Taikoo Sing in eastern Hong Kong, the 723-square-foot apartment had sweeping sea views but was dark and compartmentalized inside. Eric and Mary approached Lam in admiration for Sim-Plex’s "adaptability and flexibility in design," Mary notes, adding, "We like how he balances functionality and poeticism."
Before: Entrance
Before: Dark walls enhanced the cramped feel of the apartment, further accentuated by low ceilings.
Courtesy of Sim-Plex Design Studio
After: Entrance
After: Thanks to a harmonious palette of woods, the entry and living area feel airy and expansive.
Courtesy of Sim-Plex Design Studio
When Lam first viewed the apartment, he appreciated that there weren’t too many structural elements to work around. However, its low ceiling height of seven feet, eight inches, which reinforced the poky nature of the piecemeal rooms, presented a challenge.
"Due to the cost-efficiency prioritized by real estate developers, they typically aim to maximize the number of rooms within the smallest square feet, using concrete or brick walls to separate and isolate each space," says Lam. Adjusting them to improve family life was critical, says Eric: "We wanted to have closer relationship with our children."
Glass makes the kitchen feel more open and lets the owners keep an eye on their kids. A pocket door can close off the space.
Courtesy of Sim-Plex Studio
See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: Built-In Storage Unlocks the Potential of a Family’s Small Hong Kong Flat
