OFFICE 51

The design for a 1000 m² residence is reduced to the design of just one component, a room: a rectangular space with four entrances and no prescribed function. The room receives its individual character only through its ceiling height and its relative position in the house. Twenty-four identical rooms are organised over three storeys, each time forming an enfilade around a central atrium. Because the building is sunken into the ground, only the top storey can be seen in the residential neighbourhood, like the tip of an iceberg. The inner garden is the actual outdoor space of the house, which tempers the harsh climate. All of the rooms are oriented to this sheltered interior garden. Two flights of stairs, which stand in the middle of the room like a piece of furniture, provide the connection between the storeys. The luxurious aspect of this residence is not in an extravagant form or use of materials, but in the abundance of spaces. The enigmatic 25th room on the roof is for the attendant: a lookout post on a thick wall. Invitation by Herzon & De Meuron, curated by Ai Wei Wei.