DesignersOFGA Convert a Hong Kong Apartment For Lifestyle Not Space

This apartment from Hong-Kong seeks to change your priorities with regard to small properties – instead of focusing on storage solutions and space, it aims to cater for lifestyle.

A local interior design studio, called DesignersOFGA took on the challenge of converting the space. The project has been dubbed “Unfolding Canvas” and was completed in 2017.

First impressions of the space are one of a calming, tranquil atmosphere. They’ve used neutrals colors and finishes throughout, with hints of Scandinavian inspiration apparent from the furnishings. The property covers an area of 807.29-square-feet (75-square-meters), making it quite a large unit considering it’s Hong Kong.

Light was an important quality for the home. Window opportunities are limited to one face of the building, which creates the challenge of drawing that light as far into the premises as possible. To allow for this, the living spaces have been left mostly open plan.

There are two definite sections to “Unfolding Canvas”, a public area and a private one. The public area contains the living room, kitchen and some storage space that flanks the entrance. The private area consists of the bedroom and bathroom. In order to draw light through the back of the bathroom, a light curtain has been used in place of a wall.

Sensibly, only the bath has been left exposed in the bedroom/bathroom setup. There are two private and enclosed toilets found to the very rear of the room. From the architects: “We approached privacy in terms of adjacency, specifically relative privacy. This allowed us to condense absolute privacy to a minimal footprint…

…The result are spaces that open onto one another, like an unfolding canvas, or in Colin Rowe’s words, ‘phenomenal transparency’.”

For more apartments, check out “Little Flat Transformation”, which sees new life breathed into a old apartment in Lviv. Or, this Brazilian apartment that gets the Scandinavian treatment. See all apartments.

Photos © Effie Yang