天光、流水與綠植建構而成的呼吸劇場！四口之家與兩貓的山林日常
-
As morning light drifts from the mountain ridge and spills through wide glass panels, it settles quietly across the interior. Dust glimmers in the still air, as if time has momentarily slowed.
Once a traveler drawn to skiing and diving, the homeowner now finds his life centered on family. His focus has shifted from the vastness of mountains and sea to the gentle light and breeze within this forty-year-old home. Guided by 23 Design, the renovation embraces coexistence with nature, translating the family’s longing for the outdoors into a home that breathes.
Subtle gaps between walls and floors hold the daily lives of a family of four and their two cats, allowing light, air, and greenery to move freely through the space. The result is a quiet reorganization of life and time that restores the home to a state of honesty and ease.
-
Bringing life back to where the light resides
Located in Taipei’s Neihu district, the forty-year-old house was reconfigured by 23 Design to reorganize the spatial hierarchy. The public areas were moved upstairs, while the bedrooms and children’s rooms were arranged below. This approach not only buffers sound from guests during gatherings and reduces noise for the neighbors downstairs, but also situates daily life where sunlight is at its best. As the mountains outside the window become part of everyday scenery, the sense of time within the home seems to gently expand.
The shared living area unfolds around a full wall of windows where light pours in from the surrounding ridges, casting a soft glow across the walls and timber floors. Meals, conversations, and the laughter of children all take place within this shifting play of light and shadow, becoming the most genuine reflections of daily life.
-
A living island of greenery
The design begins with the homeowners’ desire to bring nature indoors, allowing light, water, and greenery to intertwine throughout the home. 23 Design translated this vision into the spatial core by creating a central “green island” that combines planting and water features within the leisure area. It is a living element that changes with time, connecting daily activities with the natural rhythms of the house.
At its center, a ponytail palm grows through the floor slab, becoming a quiet metaphor for the home itself. Its roots stay grounded while its leaves reach upward, symbolizing support and continuity within the family. The connection between upper and lower levels unfolds through this vertical touch of green, where the children play downstairs and the parents rest above, their laughter and breath gently meeting through the open air.
-
To create a space where the children can move freely, the original square column was softened into a gentle curve. The modification enhances safety while preserving visual harmony, giving the interior a warmer and more fluid atmosphere.
-
Framed by mountains, veiled in white
“I wanted daily life itself to become part of the design, allowing the space to remain in a constant state of breathing,” says the designer. Every corner carries traces of everyday living, while leaving room for light to enter.
The palette returns to white and wood. Walls finished with delicate plaster create a soft matte texture, and the flooring alternates between polished PANDOMO and warm timber. As light shifts throughout the day, subtle layers of time appear across the surfaces. Through intentional simplicity, furniture and personal belongings come into quiet focus. Diving gear, camping tools, ski equipment, and small collected objects form a still life that captures the essence of daily life.
-
By the window, a single armchair sits quietly, the spot where the homeowner lingers most often. The scent of morning coffee, the mountain view at night, and the distant sound of children playing intertwine to create moments of silence and warmth. Outside, the landscape changes with the seasons as morning mist, evening light, and shifting shadows form a scene that moves like a living painting. From this vantage point, he can hear the laughter of his children downstairs and see the calm presence of his partner above. Life flows between these levels, always closely connected.
-
Space as an extension of life
Through a careful and sensitive approach, 23 Design breathed new life into the old house. From reconfiguring the layout and drawing in nature to embracing the traces of everyday use, the design responds to the realities of daily living. The interplay of light, wind, greenery, and family creates the home’s quiet character, allowing time to be gently preserved within the space.
Living itself becomes the truest expression of design.
