Greenlight Manor

As with all city dwellings, there is a lack of nature and harmony which has been remedied in this design. The building base is facing the west, so as to not be tested by the extremely hot weather in the south of Taiwan. Hot weather does not make for a comfortable living environment which is why its effect has been diminished. The design philosophy uses the basic teachings of modernism from the 1960s, and the large amount of greenery is akin to a forest in the city. The unobstructed view allows for an impressive view of the city while the projected shadows demonstrate the natural passage of time. The facade of the building utilizes a cantilever beam-column system with a sun-shaded aluminum plate for deeper light and a richness of space. We try to make the building look light and modern, and hope to reshape the traditional perception of Asian people, that luxury is more important than a feeling of wellness and contentment.

The residential space includes a master bedroom, family room as well as other space which is all enclosed by the natural foliage. The rooms on the front of the west side are designed with a large sunshade platform to take into account the continuity of the west and the continuity of the green space environment. On the second floor, in addition to the inner kitchen, there is also an expansive open kitchen area. The dining table and the sofa area of the living room even extend to the outdoor balcony. It is a living space with no separation that embodies the ideas of continuity and community. The horizontal long window can be seen from the garden. As a rare green living space in the city, the green trees sway in the wind, and the light and shadow from the treetops form interesting changes, allowing the occupants to have a better balanced life experience.

The white cortex coating of the building is conducive to the richness of the shadows that play over it and the facade of the building frame in the sunlight. The variability of the projection of light from the east to west is immediately visible. Through the change of the light and shadows, we feel the variability of time and space. The four seasons of the light wax trees reflect the change of the time axis in the architectural space. All of these things combine to create wonderful memories for the inhabitants of the house.

The facade of the building uses a large number of vertical aluminum and metal pillars in order to strengthen the vertical growth relationship with the trees in the environment. The outer cantilever beam frame of the building is matched with the thick metal decoration material to echo the natural growth of the tree group. With the rhythm of the wind and the changes of light and shadow; a beautiful atmospheric space is created. We attempted to establish a visual balance between the cantilever beams, the reinforced vertical metal grille and the newly implanted light wax trees in the surrounding environment. The physical volume and the framework structure are contrasted with the traditional Chinese reality. The east-west sunshine makes the tree shadow in the garden more vivid, adding interest and coordination in the space. My goal and tendency is to seek a simplification of the basic expression of the heart as it relates to a building and nature.

Greenlight Manor by Keng-Fu Lo in Taiwan won the WA Award Cycle 29. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.