A spacious and ultra-modern town house was given an artistic edge by an adventurous couple. Most space-challenged Hongkongers would be happy to stop living in a box. Yet one Sai Kung-based family has chosen to make a box - a bright red cube to be precise - the central feature of their living space. Art-loving couple Jen and Michael Man, together with their three young children, recently left Happy Valley for the spacious, green environs of Sai Kung. Their ultra-modern 3,600 sq ft townhouse, spanning two levels and the roof, is testament to their passion for contemporary art and furniture, and shows their willingness to embrace something different. Architect Anderson Lee (Index Architecture, tel: 2155 1007) worked with the owners to create a modernist-inspired space. Because it was a new building, the client requested minimal intervention, says Lee. Hence, the kitchen and bathrooms were left as they were and Lee focused on providing innovative solutions for the furnishings and living spaces. 'The Mans are into modern art and [collectable] furniture,' says Lee, pointing out a huge Established & Sons sofa, an Arne Jacobsen Egg chair, Ligne Roset couches and Achille Castiglioni lighting. 'They had these pieces already, so that inspired the idea of creating a modern gallery feel and highlighting the objects within the space.' White walls, marble flooring and no-fuss lighting form a neutral backdrop to a home in which the objects play starring roles. 'It is a simple colour scheme throughout: red, black, white and grey,' says Lee. 'The objects have strong colours already so this is more than enough.' Taking the object theme one step further, Lee built two box-like structures designed for specific purposes. The bright red cube in the centre of the living room is a home office and the large floor-to-ceiling rectangular box on the first floor is a sliding closet for the owners' huge collection of clothes. But why a bright red cube? 'I wanted to create an object that would become the focus of the house,' says Lee. 'Also, the colour really stands out.' Made of foamed aluminium and metal panels sprayed with car paint, the cube stands in the centre, with the dining area on one side and the living room on the other. Windows on the cube's exterior allow those seated inside to see what is going on outside. 'This was one of the specific requirements when they asked me to design the house,' says Lee. 'They wanted a home office with a sense of seclusion and separation where they can work, yet they wanted to make sure the kids were all right when they played nearby.' Red uplighting on top of the cube casts a glow and gives the impression that it is floating. 'The cube does not touch the ceiling; if it did it would block the light from one side of the room to the other,' says Lee. The structure also provides valuable built-in storage space: a panel near the rear wall houses an array of audio-visual and computer equipment while concealed shelving provides space for lots of shoes. Agreeing that not many people would have the vision - or the desire - to have a bright red cube in the middle of their living room, Lee appreciates his clients' knowledge of the art scene and their sense of adventure. 'The Mans are well educated in terms of the arts. They could envisage what it would look like and how it would feel. I could reference, for example, Richard Serra [an American minimalist artist known for working with large-scale assemblies of sheet metal] and they would know what I meant. It made the design process a lot more fun and much quicker too.' Upstairs, the house has a warmer ambience. The landing at the top of the stairs has been transformed into a family area, complete with small sofa and television. A wall behind the sofa - which once hid the stairs leading to the roof - has been replaced with a Charles Rennie Mackintosh-style geometric panel. The square cutouts allow light to flood into the space and also provide handy slots for storing toys. The expansive closet - which runs along one side of the corridor leading into the master bedroom - looks at first glance like a large rectangular wooden box. However, it is a modular unit containing sliding compartments that store clothes on either side. 'Basically, if we had used the same area of space and designed a linear closet with a U- or a C-shape it would only hold half of what it holds now,' says Lee. Lee has created a stylish environment the adults can enjoy and which also meets the needs of the children. He was even able to push the envelope in terms of the design. 'It takes a certain type of client to appreciate the boldness of the design,' he says, smiling. 1 The cube work station is in the middle of the ground-floor living area, providing a physical and visual divider between the living and the dining zones. It is made of metal panels sprayed with automobile paint, with foamed aluminium placed on the corridor side. Cut-out hatches allow the Mans to sit at their desks yet see what is going on in the living room. The Smala sofa (HK$54,200) and ottoman (HK$16,600) are from Ligne Roset (16 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, tel: 2891 0913; www.ligne-roset.com ). The undulating three-seater Chester sofa (HK$147,600) by Amanda Levete for Established & Sons is from Lane Crawford (IFC Mall, Central, tel: 2118 3388; www.lanecrawford.com ). 2 A white, gallery-type feel defines the decor in the dining room, enlivened by the bright red cube and a Mark Rothko-inspired artwork painted by the owner. The six Eames chairs (HK$2,200 each) are from Aluminium (shop D, 8 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2577 4766; www.hk-aluminium.com ). The polished aluminium Taraxacum 88 S1 suspension light (HK$38,000), designed by Achille Castiglioni, is from Flos (shop A, Winway Building, 50 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2801 7608; www.flos.com ). 3 In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the end of the living room is a bright pink Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair by Fritz Hansen (HK$60,000 for fabric, HK$140,000 for leather upholstery) from Salotto (29/F, Two Chinachem Exchange Square, 338 King's Road, North Point, tel: 2898 9777). 4 Architect Anderson Lee installed an oversized sliding door leading to the guest bathroom and added blackboard paint to give the children somewhere to draw. Lee did not need to renovate the existing, sleek, marble-clad bathrooms. 5 Lee turned the landing at the top of the stairs into a cosy family nook. He replaced a solid white wall shielding the stairs to the roof with a Charles Rennie Mackintosh-inspired geometric screen to allow light from above to filter through. The sofa was designed by Index Architecture (19/F, 322 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan, tel: 2155 1007; www.indexarchitecture.com ) and cost HK$18,000 to make. 6 A second box-like structure is situated upstairs on one side of the entrance hall leading into the master suite. It comprises a series of sliding rectangular units in which to store clothes. When closed, the compartments look like a solid unit. Designed by Index Architecture, it cost HK$4,000 a linear foot. 7 To make the most of the stunning views over a marina, Lee positioned the bed to face the large picture windows. The bed (HK$55,000) was designed by Index Architecture and features a deep headboard with ample storage space on the other side. The wall to the left of the bed is clad in bold black-and-white floral print wallpaper from Avant Garde (shop 133, Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2526 0104). Tried + tested Shelf light Inspired by Dan Flavin - an American minimalist renowned for creating works using fluorescent tube lighting - Anderson Lee (Index Architecture, tel: 2155 1007) designed an installation that is functional and artistic. A series of six shelves inset with circular red fluorescent tubes provides shelf space for collectables and acts as a subtle night light. The shelves, on a wall in the dining area, measure 600mm by 250mm each and are made with blackened steel and red Plexiglas. The fluorescent tubes are from Philips (various locations; www.lighting.philips.com.hk ). Styling Esther van Wijck