sheng han lin architects builds a taiwanese townhouse around soaring internal courtyards

located in taiwan’s southwestern yunlin county, sheng han lin architects has designed a modern townhouse called ‘le petit prince house’. bringing together three generations of one family under one roof, the new four-story residence is planned around towering internal courtyards that invite natural light and tranquillity into a series of zen gardens within the heart of the home.

all images © studio millspace

working with an existing structure, the architect has utilized the varying heights of the original building and its extensions to create different horizontal and vertical planes inside the complex, which form balconies and terraces on all four levels. opening up to the outdoors, these interior-exterior living spaces are designed to reflect the local lifestyle where people often congregate in shaded courtyards to drink tea and chat.

the interior is defined by exposed timber and bright, white-colored spaces, which when combined create a contemporary yet inviting living space. in short, the architecture focuses on natural light and creating a direct connection between the family and the external environment. completed in 2018, the 628 m2 home is shortlisted as a finalist for the golden pin design award 2019 best design prize, which will be announced at the award ceremony in taipei on december 5th.

project info:

project name: le petit prince house 

location: yunlin county, taiwan

architect: lin sheng han architects 

photography: studio millspace

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom