Shelter Cave

From building a family to entering retirement, the homeowner’s family of four has resided for many years in a 260-square-meter duplex house. As the homeowners are devout Buddhists who prefer humble austerity, this project utilizes simple colors and materials to create a serene and dignified atmosphere. The functional details are cleverly concealed and integrated into various intersecting spaces that resemble natural rock caves, evoking an ambiance that’s reminiscent of a spiritual journey into the mountains, allowing those who occupy the space to reflect on themselves and discover inner peace. Some of the existing furniture and materials are retained and rearranged to preserve memories of this place, while some are presented in brand new forms with minimal visual disruptions, which highlights the tranquil environment, invokes shared memories among family members, and reshapes the value and narrative of this space.

Taking inspiration from mountains, this design transforms the same mineral paint into both smooth and rugged textures, creating an interplay of light and shadow that permeates irregular openings and cabinet crevices. For instance, in spaces like the kitchen and art gallery, a thin layer of light evokes an imagery that’s akin to light breaking through the openings of a mountain range. Symbolizing the family’s memories, “the Gatha of Juelin Bodhisattva” is rendered with mineral paint to look like it’s chiseled onto a stone wall tightly embedded within the space. The wooden handrails’ old surface coating is removed and now adorned with new black iron structures, allowing the surface to change over time, echoing the space’s temporal significance to the homeowners. The entrance, stairs, and floor edges retain a reorganized version of the original marble floor, allowing the homeowners to revisit old memories by touching and walking on them. The pendant light above the dining table is reconstructed using weathered cedar wood and flower-patterned glass, stacking up like layers of mountains and delivering a soft sense of warmth that ripples through moments shared at the table.