Early architecture was built maybe merely to accommodate people. As time changes, city breath permeates into architecture and stamps them with urbanization. Just like the old residential buildings in Shanghai.
建筑在生成之初也许更多只是容纳人的活动的固定空间，而跟随漫长的时间，城市的生命气息浸润到建筑里，使之带上城市发展进程的印记。上海的老公房便是如此。
concept | 概念
This seven-story old residential building is located downtown Shanghai. The renovation is for a studio apartment less than 40 square meters uppermost. The apartment is north-south direction shaped long and narrow. Entrance at north, balcony southernmost. According to the original route, it takes 11 to 12 seconds to walk from entrance to balcony.
What if we change this constant speed in monotonous action to something more exciting?
Let’s go back to the very beginning. First you walk into the residence, pass along an open stair outside the lane buildings, reach the second floor, heading east-west, and come to door of the right building. Then you start climbing, make 10 turns, up to the 7th floor. You open the door, taking a breath. High and open, through the whole apart ment, you see a row of metasequoia trees outside the window.
这栋隶属于长宁区的七层高住宅楼是上海老公房居民小区里的一座，改造主体为其顶层的一间小公寓，面积不足40平方米。房间是狭长的南北走向，由北面大门进入，最南端为阳台。如果不加以任何改变，从大门走到阳台，以常人走路的一般速度最多花费11、12秒。
如果这种单调的匀速行进活动被改变了呢？
回到什么都还没有发生的时候。走进小区，走一段搭建在建筑外墙外的露天楼梯来到二楼，沿着东西向的公共走道走到对应的门洞前，上楼，拐10次弯，到了七楼，打开门，得站在门口喘一会儿因为爬楼的缘故，然后，没有任何障碍物遮挡地穿透整个空间，眼睛望见了最南端窗外的一排杉树。
window view | 窗景
Exactly, tree is the inspiration. If not on top of the building, on 3rd or 4th floor – no matter which floor, the trees that are beyond the front buildings couldn’t been seen so completely. Trunk to tip, they beautifully connect the sky and make it a unique scene.
To carry out the conception, whole row of the window facing south is designed to be folded. Open fully from right to left reveals a spacious rectangle, a picture of what you see frames into the whole room.
是的，杉树，这正是此项目设计构思的起源。如果不是在顶层的这间公寓，而是三层、四层──无论哪里，都不能如此完整地看见超出公寓楼前方建筑屋顶部分的杉树，从树干到树梢，与天空连结成一片，成为独特景观。
为了完成这个构思，公寓朝南的整排窗户被设计成折叠形状。自右向左完全推开后，一个长方形的宽阔洞口显现出来，使目力所及的景象定格为一幅画面，融为公寓的一个组成部分。
cabinet and balcony | 衣柜与阳台
living and bathing | 起居与洗浴
Space is not cut apart by functional usage. Partition walls or doors are left behind. There are four spaces in all from north to south. By changing altitude of floor and ceiling and together applying different materials, the characteristic of the space is fully expressed and the distance extended when moving in. You feel it’s like in a courtyard, from one depth to two, and to three depths…with that picture of ‘the beauty of metasequoia trees’ throughout.
功能并不作为划分空间的依据，不同区域之间也不设立墙、门作为隔断。从北至南共有四个空间，地面和天花板的高度变化，以及不同材料的使用，既表达了空间的特质，又拉长了行进活动中的距离感，好比在一处院落中，从一进行至二进，行至三进……而那幅“杉树之美”始终贯穿其中。
washing and rinsing | 盥洗
upper hollowed mirror as partition | 上部镂空的镜面隔断
junction of various materials | 多种材料的交接
In this renovation, common concept of furniture is not used. Instead, furniture is made up like architecture. The primary identification of terms such as floor, table, chair, bed, cabinet etc., is featured by the material used. Shape and position is naturally not that important.
Actions diversified in the limited immutable space.
在这里，普遍概念里的家具被放弃了，取而代之的是让家具变得更像建筑。地板、台面、桌椅、床、储物柜等被识别的首要特征来自所使用的材料，其功能也可跟随材料而得到扩展。家具的形状和位置变得不重要。
在不可变的小空间里，人的活动自由可变。
bathing and kitchen | 洗浴区与厨房
table and bookshelf | 桌子与书架
overall view | 公寓全景
resting and balcony | 休憩区
nightfall view | 傍晚
plan | 平面图
