Tree House | ST design studio

Located in the suburban district of Taipei City, this apartment is in the residential quarters at the border of the mountainside and close to a small forest. Located in the 5th floor, the apartment is right at the dense part of the tree branches. The whole concept is inspired by trees. We wanted to to create a “tree house”” alike apartment, a greenish, ventilated, and tranquil place where its inhabitant can feel its natural environment, a peaceful and undisturbed space from the outside world.

This Apartment contents two floors, the first floor is the main living area which includes a living/dining space, a kitchen, one bedroom, and one bathroom. Going up to the stairs, you will find a studio and a guest room.

First, we pushed back the boundary and restored the original balcony by demolishing the extra bay window, we lost a bit indoor space, but improved the natural lighting and ventilation, and it actually gives a sense a open space.

The ceiling is made of plywood panels with natural texture and color. it emphasizes the trees as the most important element for the whole design and softens the restricted feeling caused by the low ceiling height.

The originally hidden stair is opened up, and the steps are made wider and safer. The steps are made with perforated metal panels, and the railing is made with metal meshes. Which makes the stair construction looks lighter, and also let natural lighting penetrate down through.

The bathroom can reach the balcony at the back side directly. We use glass sliding door to let the light penetrate through to the living area.

The owner of the house loves travel and art, he owns lots of art pieces, which  includes his own paintings. The studio upstairs is totally white and functions as the owner's private gallery to exhibit his collections and own works. 

For materials, we used simple, fundamental and honest materials. like plywood, , bare concrete and clay tiles, we tried to keep it simple and not to offer a strong sense of style. The focus is to create a calm space and feel disconnected from reality.

Here, we try to explore the original idea of the architect more than 40 years ago. Although it’s hard to restore it to the original state because it has already undergone several modifications, we try to go back to the essential concept of creating a light and simple space for a private and peaceful lifestyle.