Less is More in this Hong Kong Apartment
Pared-back interiors and natural light create a sense of spaciousness in this minimalist Hong Kong apartment by local firm Human w/ Design. We spoke with the studio’s co-founder Kevin Wong to find out more about his team’s approach to maximising the petite apartment’s liveability
Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?
Kevin Wong: The clients are brothers who live together with their partners. The younger brother is a previous client; we designed his office back in 2019 and he was really happy with our work so he recommended us to his family. They reviewed our portfolio and decided that we’d be able to realise their dream home for them.
Can you tell us about the couples and their lifestyle?
The two couples love the minimal lifestyle and believe that less is more. They also enjoy socialising with friends, so it was important that their home has an open and inviting dining space.
What was the project brief?
They asked us to completely refresh the existing apartment, which they’d been living in for over 20 years. Now that their parents no longer live with them, they wanted an aesthetically minimal apartment full of natural daylight. They also wanted just enough storage space to fit their daily needs. During our first meeting they all emphasised that the more storage space you have, the more useless stuff you keep.
What’s the overall size of the apartment?
The apartment is just over 40 square metres and comprises a kitchen, small laundry area, living and dining room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
What’s unique about the building and its location?
The apartment is located in Hong Kong’s countryside and all the windows face greenery and mountain views. Due to the lack of structural walls and columns inside the apartment, we were able to reconfigure the entire layout easily to fit their current lifestyles.
How did you approach the project and what design references did you try incorporate into the space?
Daylighting is always the first thing we consider in any design project, especially when the apartment is well oriented and has these kinds of views. We removed the walls in one of the original bedrooms to incorporate the existing window into the new dining area and it now acts as one of the major sources of natural light in this space. In response to the natural scenery outside, we wrapped the base of the living and dining area walls in oak wood veneer panels to create a connection with nature and bring the outside into the apartment. The panels also act as a wall protector and an ambient light feature, thanks to the LED light strip we fitted at the top of the walls. In order to give the apartment the spacious and open ambience the clients wanted, we tried to blur the boundaries between the living and dining area and kitchen by creating an open kitchen and selecting a pair of loose armchairs for the lounge area.
Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.
We selected a combination of oak wood, granite and light concrete-look paint to create a natural colour palette. Walls and cabinets are finished in white, light grey and wood according to the penetration of natural light. Starting with the white backdrop in the living and dining area and progressing to the dark wood finish at the far end of the kitchen, the layering of materials creates depth of space and an airy feel.
Which of the features are custom designed?
We custom designed all of the fixed furniture, including the television cabinet and booth seating that doubles as storage in the dining area. We selected a granite slab to top the custom-made three-legged dining table, and we also specially designed a wall-mounted magazine and iPad holder in the living area.
What’s one of your favourite design elements in the home?
Simple lines and forms are always our favourite design elements, combined with natural materials like marble, granite and wood to emphasise the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Images / Kevin Wong
