Bronze Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2026
Dwelling in Shelter Residence
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Y·UN Design Co., Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,493
- Verification code 967224B103 · Verify this award
About Dwelling in Shelter Residence
Dwelling in Shelter is a residential interior design for a 125.6 square meter home in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. The layout was reconfigured from four bedrooms to two, and one former room became a walk-in dressing area. An open plan links the foyer, pantry, island kitchen, and piano corner into a single social area. The island is aligned with the dining table and holds an oven and wine storage. A structural column is absorbed into a cabinet with storage and shoe space. Stone textures, metal finished laminates, and wood grains set a calm tone.
Dwelling in Shelter Residence by Y·UN Design Co., Ltd. exemplifies contemporary residential design's evolving embrace of spatial fluidity and material authenticity, positioning itself within a broader movement toward open-plan domestic environments that dissolve traditional room boundaries in favor of integrated living zones where culinary, social, and cultural activities coexist harmoniously within a singular visual and experiential field. The compositional achievement resides in the sophisticated choreography of spatial transitions, where the warm timber kitchen island in the foreground establishes material richness and functional anchor, the curved sectional sofa in middle ground introduces organic formal relief against prevailing orthogonal geometries, and the grand piano in the background provides both visual terminus and cultural signifier, suggesting a household where musical practice and aesthetic appreciation form integral components of daily life. The chromatic restraint demonstrated throughout, limiting the palette to warm timber browns, soft taupes, charcoal accents, and luminous neutrals, creates visual coherence across distinct functional zones while allowing subtle material variations in grain, texture, and finish to provide sensory interest without chromatic competition. Technical facility manifests in the precise detailing of cabinetry joinery, the calibrated lighting design that layers ambient ceiling illumination with focused track-mounted pendants, and the carefully considered proportional relationships between furniture elements and architectural volumes, achieving domestic scale that feels neither constricted nor excessively expansive. The integration of the grand piano as both functional instrument and sculptural presence suggests thematic exploration of domesticity enriched by cultural engagement, the home conceived as space for both quotidian routine and elevated artistic practice, while the abstract figurative artwork positioned above the instrument reinforces this integration of aesthetic contemplation within lived environment. The selection of warm timber surfaces as primary material vocabulary evokes historical associations with craft traditions and natural material honesty, yet their deployment within rigorously contemporary architectural framework demonstrates how vernacular material sensibilities can be reinterpreted through minimalist formal language, suggesting continuity between traditional domestic values and contemporary spatial practices. The spatial organization invites consideration of how contemporary living increasingly values visual and experiential connectivity over compartmentalized privacy, the open plan enabling family interaction and social fluidity while maintaining sufficient spatial definition through furniture placement and material zoning to preserve functional clarity, proposing a domestic model where connection and autonomy achieve balanced coexistence within thoughtfully orchestrated architectural space.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- An open plan connects the foyer, pantry, island kitchen, and piano corner into a flowing social area. Light and color subtly define zones, while blackboard-painted walls create a stage for children's drawings. A circular ceiling with wooden light above the piano casts a warm glow. The island, aligned with the dining table, integrates an oven and wine storage. Hidden storage and shoe cabinets maintain visual calm. Carefully planned lighting enhances ambience, with stone countertops reflecting pendant lights and dusk tones.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The 125.6 m2 residence was reconfigured from four to two bedrooms, incorporating one former room into the master suite as a walk-in dressing area. The open-plan social zone centers on a kitchen island and dining table, linking living and kitchen areas into a horizontal living axis. An existing structural column at the kitchen rear is integrated with a multifunctional cabinet combining storage and shoe space, preserving openness while supporting social gatherings and resort-style living.
- Tags
- Resort Living, Stretch-Film Ceiling, Rust Texture, Blackboard Wall, Modern Design, Open Plan
- Production Technology
- The color palette combines the patina of rust-like hues with metal-finished laminates, thin panels, coated leather boards, and wood grains-yielding a sense of depth that is elegant yet not heavy. The social area uses stone-textured flooring to connect with wooden millwork volumes, enhancing the home's hospitality presence, the bedrooms soften the mood with wood flooring and light walls. Color strategy follows a play of 'contrast and balance', the social area layers darker tones and metallic sheen for sophistication, while the private area unfolds in muted hues to evoke tranquility.
- Design Challenge
- The kitchen-dining area faced challenges accommodating the pantry, refrigerator, storage, and shoe cabinet around a central structural column. Precise measurements and proportioning ensured each volume fit seamlessly, maintaining visual sleekness. Material transitions-rust stone, metal panels, wood, and specialty coatings-required meticulous control of tone and edge. An extended schedule allowed fine-tuning, ensuring texture, reflection, and tactile quality met design standards.
- Project Duration
- The project finished in August 2025 in Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- Even before completion, the homeowners felt the space's serene atmosphere. The island-table combination became a favorite for cooking, entertaining, or late-night drinks. The piano's soft spotlight enhances intimate family moments. As day turns to night, lighting creates two distinct moods. At twilight, the homeowners linger by the dining area, watching warm glows ripple across the countertop, savoring a quiet, satisfying end to the day.
- Research
- Dwelling in Shelter brings resort-like tranquility into daily life. Light and materials translate the husband's love for deep tones and the wife's milky warmth into a composed social area and serene private quarters. An open plan links foyer, pantry, island, and piano corner, with light and color subtly defining zones. Sunlight drifts across surfaces by day, while low-intensity lighting creates a peaceful hotel-like ambiance at night, harmonizing light, airflow, and daily rhythm.
- Inspiration
- Located in Taoyuan City, the residence reflects homeowners who spent years abroad and seek the calm order of luxury hotels. Rather than rigidly defining spaces, the design translates the husband's love for rich tones and the wife's preference for milky warmth into a symphony of light and materials. The social area emphasizes composure and depth, while private areas return to softness and clarity, balancing the sensations of travel with the comfort of home.
- Image Credits
- Y.UN Design Co., Ltd.