Japanese Style Small Seaside Apartment Sydney 52sqm/560sqft

The design concept of this apartment is about stacking and overlapping. We wanted to challenge the traditional understanding of space and functionality. Seeking ideas and inspiration for transforming your home? Floorplan's photos are now take on the genius behind 30 of the world's most beautiful apartments and homes under 50 square meters. Available now at nevertosmall.com. The Ryokan is situated right in front of Mani Beach. It is well known for its ferries, surfing and beach volleyball tournaments. There are many nice parks, unique restaurants, cafes and boutique stores. The building was initially built as a two-story Victorian tavern in the late 18th century and a century later two more stories were added on top with the ground floors as shops and upper levels are apartments. The apartment has been used for rental property for the past 20 years without much maintenance. The previous floor plan was not well thought out. There was not much natural light into the building and the plumbing was a mess. We relocated the bathroom doorway away from the entrance. We combined the kitchen with the living and dining area. Lastly, we demolished the bedroom wall to bring light and air into the darkest room of the house. The main brief from the client was to create a unique manly experience. When they come home, they still want to feel like they are still in the natural space. He can detach from work and just relax. The moment you walk in the door, a symbolic house geometry defines the foyer space. The foyer is a hybrid of mudroom and a genkan which is the Japanese name of the entrance. There is a niche to hang jackets and place your keys. Below the niche is a pocket for shoe storage. We inserted a floating platform for sitting which extends all the way into the living space as a tatami style sitting area. As you progress into the space, you are first embraced by the dark walls and ceiling which sets the tone of serenity. The differentiation between the living space and the dining space is defined by the height of the platform. So, when you step down from the platform, you step into the zone of the dining space. We designed and built the TV recess into the wall. We purposely lowered the TV so it's in line with eye level when you sit on the tatami style flooring. For the kitchen, we decided to use matte black elements to continue the transition from the dark zone. We chose bronze mirror for the kitchen splashback. We believe a bronze mirror in this wooden context can create a softer ambient reflection to the surrounding. Underneath the timber frame is the white kitchen. We chose white microwave oven so it blends in with the matte white color of the cabinet doors and the fridge is hidden behind a hinged door. You access the Japanese bedroom via three steps. The kitchen bench is extended into the bedroom. Before the bedroom, there is a zen garden with a bonsai tree coming out of the wall. The garden sits behind the glass wall that connects with the kitchen. We created this zero maintenance bonsai tree from lifelike materials so the client doesn't need to maintain it. We strategically placed the bonsai tree underneath the skylight so around 12 to 1 o'clock every day, there is natural sunlight coming into the space shining onto the bonsai tree making it more lifelike. On the other side of the garden is a sheer curtain which allows some light to pass through to the bedroom but also provides privacy. The bed head is also made out of the same bronze mirror as the splashback in the kitchen. Besides the mattress, we customized two small niches for the client to place their phones or their reading glasses. Above the niche are the small wall lights that they can use for reading and also for a bit of nightlight function. Next to the bedroom is a meditation space. The entry to the meditation space is through a small window opening inspired by traditional Japanese tea house. We intentionally lower the ceiling and raise the platform to compress the vertical space which directs you to sit on the platform once you pass through the opening. In this meditation space, we added another zero maintenance vertical garden. In this room, you can detach from work and stress. You can look through the window and reconnect with nature. There is roughly 15 cubic meters of storage space underneath the Japanese bedroom and the meditation room which can be used for storing bulky and seasonal items and access via the kitchen. The second bedroom is on the other side of the apartment. When the door of the bedroom opens, the timber cladded wall and the genkan timber creates a conversation which creates the illusion of a bigger space. There is a double bed and storage for the cloth. We also place a small but practical study hidden behind the foyer extension. The bathroom is cladded with ceramic timber tiles. The choice of timber tiles is to mimic the wooden bathhouse atmosphere without the maintenance concern of real timber. We've chosen a wahan basin to float above the floor and all the plumbing fittings to be matte black so it blends in with the rest of the fittings. There is a floor-to-ceiling storage unit on the left-hand side of the bathroom. The bottom of the cabinet houses the washing machine and the top is general storage with adjustable shelves. We use the latest hybrid flooring system throughout the entire apartment. Being right next to the beach, the flooring will need to be scratch resistant to sand and 100% resistant to water. Our design approach to a small space design is to look at it as more like an opportunity than a limitation. Perhaps the future of small space design can be one of the most sustainable approaches using a smaller footprint to satisfy the practicality of living. It can also be a medium to explore different profiles of spatial combination which can be applied back to designing larger spaces to make it more creative and efficient. Thanks for watching. To receive updates on our latest episodes please subscribe and click the notification bell and if you're an architect or designer with a project we could feature please share it with us at nevertosmall.com submissions