LAR+D

How do we create storage without rooms? How do we segregate spaces without enclosing them? 

The insertion of a "Wonder Wall", aptly coined to describe a singular volume that does it all ;  Storage, pantry, display and a study nook. Purposefully situated to provide a buffer between the common spaces and the private spaces, it also serves to add anticipation and intrigue whilst moving through the house, while still providing utilitarian functionalities. Deliberately offset from the perimeter windows, this allows for a natural and fluid circulation around the "wall" and the spaces around it. 

Upon entry, the foyer serves as an intimate experience, where gentle glimpses of the expansive dining and living areas are revealed through a concrete vent block screen. This allows light to filter in while deliberately limiting views into the house from the entrance. Terracotta tiles extend from the foyer into the kitchen and yard, unifying the home’s utilitarian spaces through a continuous material language.

The transition in space, function, and tempo toward the main living areas is articulated through material change—from the richer, rougher textures of terracotta to the softer, warmer tones of engineered oak flooring that overlays the primary living spaces of the house. As one moves through the home, the reintroduction of rougher textures consistently signals a shift in spatial character, a strategy that is also applied in the balcony and bathrooms, the latter fully enveloped in rough-textured mosaics.

As an homage to the former balcony, a narrow strip of terracotta tiles occupies its footprint, introducing an additional layer of colour and texture evocative of an outdoor surface. Planting is incorporated along this edge to take advantage of the natural daylight at the perimeter. This deliberate material shift allows the “wonder wall” to be offset from the window line, creating a playful in-between zone that doubles as a small running loop for the children—and the cats.