For this high-rise apartment unit in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, a family of four wishes to convert it with specific intentions: to have a study that can be shared between the parents and the children, and to have an occasional guest room.
A functional core is first inserted to diffuse the boundaries between the study, living and circulation areas, in order to unite them into one larger shared family space. The core, as the centre of this space, consolidates the required components for various family activities, and has been designed so that it could be easily reconfigured to suit different spatial requirements. By repositioning its mobile parts, it could combine the master bedroom and study area into a suite with a private working environment, or it could create an independent guest room while maintaining the essential areas. The elements of the design rationale are extended throughout the unit, to form a coherent whole that adapts to the living patterns of the habitants.