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.'