[Emancipating the Corridor]
This 1800sf weekend retreat in the suburb of Hong Kong has the problems of typical Hong Kong apartments: over-efficient layout with pre-determined demarcation of rooms that don't allow for flexible use; squeezing multiple rooms along a overly dark and elongated corridor, and characterless fit-out 'standards' that tempts you to gut demolish to create waste or accept as is.
The owner's intended use of the apartment as a weekend gathering place renders the original four-bedroom layout functionally obsolete. We approach the project by removing the bedroom walls strategically to allow sunlight to the dark corridor, and at the same time creating a continuous space that flows through the whole apartment. A continuous relief wall that incorporates three concealed doors and a large wardrobe from the living area to the master room opens and closes inconspicuously and thus eliminating the 'multiple-door' effect. This small gesture not only reduces the amount of waste resulting from a complete gut renovation, but also contributing to the free flowing of spaces appropriate for the owner's requirements.