fws_work turns a small loft in Taipei into a poetic retreat

At 700 square feet, an artist’s loft in Taipei, Taiwan includes a bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and dedicated room for tea. What should feel like a dense, cramped program instead feels spacious and serene due to the thoughtful renovation by fws_work. The architects, who work between Brooklyn and Taiwan, use a dark color palette, layers of texture, and unexpected openings to ensure there’s inspiration around every corner but never an overwhelming moment.

tea room by fws_work — A tea room is sectioned off by woven rattan doors (Suiyu Studio)

The loft begins underneath the mezzanine level with a storage room to the left and a bathroom to the right, abutting the stairs. This denser area then opens up to the double-height space of the living room, dining room, and kitchen. In place of walls, shelving and partitions delineate the space to keep a free-flowing floorplan. This is especially true of the woven rattan folding doors that surround the tea room. When the doors are open, the living room seems to expand even more, but even with the doors closed, the material adds warmth to the otherwise dark and neutral space.

Tiled bathroom in taipei — The bathroom featured a warm tile in contrast to the dark hues of the interior (Suiyu Studio)

fws_work design loft — The designers preserved the original stone flooring (Suiyu Studio)

The living room and tea room for an artist — When the doors are open, the floorplan can expand into one (Suiyu Studio)

It also helps that abundant openings make the space feel light and airy. The shelving that divides the kitchen from the living room features a rectilinear cutout above the stove, letting light from the windows reach the living area while sectioning off the kitchen. The natural light can continue all the way to the staircase where another aperture frames the bricked-clad steps. Clerestory openings continue into the mezzanine level, where openings frame each other so the upper level’s small corridor doesn’t feel too tight. Likewise, the bathroom and bedroom make use of cutouts to give the otherwise dark area of the space natural light.

bricked steps by fws_work — The steps are clad in handmade bricks (Suiyu Studio)

Openings in the stairs — Openings keep the floorplan from feeling cramped and capitalize on the tall windows (Suiyu Studio)

fws designs kitchen and living room — Shelving divides the space from the kitchen while keeping the flow open (Suiyu Studio)

Most of the loft is clad in dark plaster and solid wood to provide depth to the space. Lighter tones and materials emphasize this dimensionality. On the floors, the original stone tiles are preserved. On the stairs, handmade bricks provide a tactile quality and a layer of texture to the interior. Recessed frames and shelves throughout play with proportions of the loft.

bedroom on mezzanine — Openings in the mezzanine make the bedroom feel tranquil (Suiyu Studio)

fws_work designs artist loft — The bed is located on the mezzanine floor, overlooking the living room thanks to abundant windows (Suiyu Studio)

Wood and white furnishings round out the color palette. Altogether, the openings, textures, and tones combine to create a poetic and calming environment that cleverly frames picturesque vignettes for each part of the space.

fws_work turns a small loft in Taipei into a poetic retreat using unexpected openings

Voids and Vignettes

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