Sliding walls and hidden storage spaces have turned a compact Mid-Levels flat into a versatile family haven. When architect Anderson Lee (Index Architecture, tel: 2155 1007) took on the challenge of turning a 900 sq ft unit in Mid-Levels into a practical home for a family of three, he approached the space as though it were a giant jigsaw puzzle. By moving walls and replacing others with flexible panels, he took the apartment apart then slotted it back together in a refreshing, user-friendly way. The once generic, three-bedroom apartment is now home to Reece and Katy Leung and their three-year-old son, Raphael. The look is minimal in essence, with practical materials such as concrete and wood enlivened by splashes of bright colour and carefully chosen accessories. 'We wanted something simple and practical,' says Reece. 'We wanted our apartment to feel like a home, not a hotel.' Although it may look simple at first glance, every bit of the home has been perfectly thought out. Wall and door panels roll, swivel and twist to change position. This provides different layout options. 'I like to think things through to the smallest detail,' says Lee. 'Everything comes from an idea first and then I start thinking how to use the space and how the owner will interact with it. Then the details become very important.' The heart of this home lies in the open-plan living area, which comprises a dining room, living room and study-cum-guest room. Centre stage is a flat-screen TV mounted on a bright orange tempered-glass panel; to the left is a large window with a built-in upholstered window seat offering open views of the swimming pools below. 'We changed all the windows to keep the visual interference to a minimum and to provide unobstructed views,' says Lee. The flat can change according to the needs of its users. The Leungs agreed to give up one of their original bedrooms so Lee could create a more flexible interior. By replacing the fixed dividing wall between the living room and guest room with movable panels, there are now three usage options. It can be sealed off as a guest room (there's a pull-down Murphy bed built into one wall) or a study (the window ledge has been turned into a desk area), or used as another living space. For the latter, a white wall panel pivots 90 degrees outwards to seal off the corridor and the orange glass TV panel slides across to fit neatly behind it. The room then becomes part of one continuous L-shaped living/dining area ideal for entertaining. White oak-veneer clads one wall and wraps around into the study, providing visual continuity. 'I wanted to have continuity from the living room all the way into the study so when the Leungs open up the wall panels, it feels like one big, coherent space,' says Lee. 'If you chop it up by using different materials, it becomes too truncated.' The white oak veneer also disguises numerous storage units - an outstanding practical feature of this apartment. Storage was a priority for the owners, so not only did Lee install storage units behind the veneer, but he also turned a corridor wall into drawers (accessed from both sides), lowered the corridor ceiling to allow storage space above and fitted the bed in the master bedroom with a hydraulic hinge so extra bedding could be stored underneath. The rear side of the bedroom-cum-bathroom door also serves as a storage unit (see Tried & Tested). 'Our last flat was bigger than this one, but there wasn't enough storage space, so we had to rent an additional storage unit,' says Katy. 'Here, the flat is smaller but we can fit everything in.' The master bedroom and bathroom are also an exercise is maximising space. Because of the compact dimensions, Lee knew an open bathroom was the only way to provide a comfortable bedroom space. Although initially sceptical, the Leungs were soon won over. Lee designed a mosaic-clad shower unit with built-in seat (modelled on a design by Le Corbusier) and a shallow basin-like floor area. It has proved popular with all the family: the adults enjoy reclining on the seat and letting the water wash over them, and Raphael loves to splash around in the basin as though it's a swimming pool. It's an apartment that's full of surprises. 'I love every part of it,' says Katy. 'I'm here most of the time with Raphael so everything must be user-friendly.' tried & tested swing out The door leading into the master bedroom does double duty. The door swings on a pivot and functions as the door to the bedroom and also swings to seal off the bathroom. Measuring 2.2 metres high, 80cm wide and 15cm deep, the door was inspired by a design feature in architect Le Corbusier's 1930s apartment in Paris, in which he installed a hanging closet on the back of a large pivot door. 'Le Corbusier's works serve as a constant source for my design aesthetics and inspiration,' says Lee. Here, Lee has used white oak veneer to create storage space for towels and toiletries. The absence of door handles ensures a clean, smooth surface. 1 The living-dining-study area is ultra-flexible. A flat-screen TV is mounted on a sliding panel clad with orange back-painted tempered glass, behind which is a study-cum-guest room. The interior can be converted from a rectangular space (pictured) to an L-shaped area by pivoting a white panel 90 degrees to seal off the hallway and sliding the TV wall into place behind it. Additionally, if guests are staying or the user of the study wants privacy, the room can be sealed off by swivelling a white oak-veneer panel (on the left) 90 degrees to meet the orange panel. 2 Around a Saarinen Tulip table (HK$16,890 by Knoll from Dream Interiors HK, 1401 Ming An Plaza Phase 1, 8 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2881 9122; www.knoll . com), Eames Plastic Side Chairs (HK$2,200 each by Vitra from Aluminium, 19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2546 5904; www.hk-aluminium.com ) add splashes of colour. Above the dining table is a Miconos lamp by Ernesto Gismondi (HK$3,300) from Artemide (shop 111, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2523 0333; www.artemide.com ). On the wall hangs a minimalist clock (HK$500) by Next from Homeless (29 Gough Street, Central, tel: 2581 1880; www.homelessconcept.com ). 3 A simple palette of a concrete epoxy self-levelling floor, white walls and a white oak-veneer clad wall with concealed storage defines the living area. Anderson Lee designed a window seat from which to take in the open views. The sofa and ottoman are from Casablanca (231 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2758 8458). In place of a sofa arm is a white oak-veneer-clad cabinet, which also provides storage for the Leungs' audio-visual equipment. The cabinet was custom designed by Lee's Index Architecture (19/F, Yen Yeen Commercial Building, 322 Des Voeux Road West, tel: 2155 1007; www.indexarchitecture.com ). The black-and-white cushions are from Franc Franc (2/F, Hang Lung Centre, 2 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 3427 3366; www.francfranc.com ). 4 Lee built a white oak-clad veneer desk unit, complete with storage drawers, facing the window. Adjacent is a wall storage unit, again clad in white oak for continuity, featuring an inset display area for books and photographs. White oak has again been used as a grill feature to disguise unsightly electrical equipment such as a large air conditioner. The metal chair (HK$1,800) is by Yasu Sasamoto from Homeless. 5 To make the most of the space available and also provide more valuable storage space in the dining room, Lee designed a sleek 'floating' cabinet with black lacquer panels that fits flush along the wall. Above the cabinet is a floating shelf with stainless-steel rim and hand-sanded stainless-steel countertop that wraps around the room and continues along the adjacent wall. Lee installed two rectangular panels of grey-mirrored glass along the width of the wall to give the illusion of more space. The mirrors hide two small windows that face outwards into a light well. 6 The kitchen, positioned to the right of the entrance hall, is sleek, modern and user-friendly. It features a black- and-grey colour scheme, a hardwearing Corian countertop and a rear tiled wall. The kitchen was made by Giotto (shop B2, G/F, 308 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2151 0806; www.eagiotto.com ). A sliding door (not shown) can be drawn across when needed to protect the rest of the apartment from cooking odours. 7 Lee enhanced the sense of space in the compact master bedroom by knocking down a wall and creating an open bathroom. The shower is to the left, the toilet (hidden by the waist-high wall) is in the middle and the sink unit is to the right. A pivoting door to the right, clad in white oak, also serves as a storage unit (see Tried & Tested). styling Esther van Wijck
