In the metropolitan landscape of Shanghai, STUDIO8 Architects has conceived a home that transcends conventional domestic patterns. Puro Apartment, as it is now known, was originally structured as a three-bedroom residence. Now, however, it has been reconfigured to prioritise and amalgamate habitation and artistic curation – an open-plan living space tailored to the needs of an art-collecting owner, where the intervention focuses on spatial fluidity, materiality and adaptability.
The design eliminates the original master bedroom on the south side, utilising the space to increase the footprint of the newly expansive living area. The updated configuration forms a continuous space that accommodates living, dining and an open kitchen while retaining a degree of spatial hierarchy. Dual northern rooms have been consolidated to form a singular, more private master suite, transforming the apartment into a one-bedroom residence. Meanwhile, the lounge area at the other end of the dining table remains relatively private – it can serve as a temporary guest room when the sliding door is closed and opens up to connect the space when the door is open.
Beyond architectural interventions, custom-designed furnishings contribute to the identity of the apartment. The vestibule bench, conceived from French seabed stone, serves a dual purpose as both functional element and sculptural piece. Arguably, the centrepiece of the living space is the central dining table: constructed from brass, resin and wood, this bespoke piece functions as a gathering point. The resin panels divide the long table into three equal parts, paired with armchairs in the form of intersecting seats. The brass plate will patinate over time, bearing the marks of age, while the resin panels allow light from the opposite side to filter through and connect with the surrounding space. In the adjacent lounge area, a Julian Opie portrait, ‘Walking in Hackney.2.2016,’ hangs in the centre of the wall – noteworthily the owner’s favourite artwork and the only fixed piece in the space.
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Materiality plays a pivotal role throughout, with the open kitchen comprising a wall lacquered in volcanic rock and a stainless-steel wine cabinet. On the other side of the wood-coloured wall, behind an invisible axis door, is the private master bedroom. A concealed door within the wood-panelled wall leads to the private quarters, where an open walk-in closet precedes the master bedroom. Given the limited ceiling height, a no-ceiling design was used to conceal lighting as much as possible, accented by artistic light sources to create a warm home atmosphere.
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