absence from island completes apartment interior in hong kong with rattan, wood + terrazzo

architecture studio absence from island has renovated a 40 sqm flat located in the cramped concrete jungle of hong kong. the owner of the apartment requested a complete redesign, that can accommodate his family of three, with multiple layouts and ample amount of storage space. 

living room – use of rattan, wood and terrazzo to create light and airy atmosphere
all images by xue lan xin

the design by absence from island aims to keep the living room large and plain while bringing in natural elements to create a relaxed and calm environment. however, as the client does not intend to take care of any living plants, rattan was chosen, which is a famous product in nearby guangzhou, as the key material for the living room. rattan is used on cupboard doors, with the porosity and light colour softening the interior’s existence. the result is a simple, airy and comfortable environment.

entrance area – cupboard to create entrance portal, dining table being tucked in when not in use

when purchased, the flat had a typical hong kong apartment layout of 5 doors facing the small living room which resulted in a lack of wall space. so during the design process, the bathroom door was shifted towards the kitchen door, in order to provide a larger wall area for the tv. it was a simple move but it greatly improved the layout as shown on the original and proposed plans.

entrance area – dining table being pulled out when in use

another common solution for tiny flats in hong kong is turning the house into a crazy transformer. however, in reality, there is no need for changing the house setting so often, which is also very tiring to do. here, the transformative feature was only kept to the single most obstructive group of items in the living room – dining table and chairs. they are tucked inside a cupboard and are pulled out when in use. this helps create one big space where the child of the family can play around.

tv wall – created by adjusting location of bathroom door

storage space was one of the major concerns of the client, who kept asking for more as the design process went on. responding to the owner’s demands, the architects raised the kid’s room in order to create a void below it, that can serve as storage space. in the entrance of the child’s room, steps are placed that double up as seating. a set of large cupboards is set in the living room next to the entrance door. these help create a portal for the main entrance which makes the perfect space for one to wear shoes and check his/her outfit before heading out. 

living room – steps to raised platform in child’s room being placed outside in living room, doubled up as additional seating

custom-made sofa with rattan storage below

details of steps – use of terrazzo, wood and brass trim

material board – rattan, terrazzo, wood and brass

original apartment as purchased – entrance area

original apartment as purchased

original layout as purchased – showing a lack of wall space

proposed layout – wall space created for tv by relocating the bathroom door

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: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom