Living & Listening Room
Living & Listening Room is a minimalist residence located in Shanghai, China, designed by SIDOM DESIGN. The project occupies a structure in the Jing’anli neighborhood, where construction occurred in stages from the 1960s through the 1990s. This phased development created architectural irregularities that the renovation addresses not through erasure but through calibrated response. The design acknowledges the physical reality of the existing building while establishing spatial conditions suited to sustained attention – particularly the focused listening and tea preparation that structure the occupant’s daily rhythm.
A previously isolated room on the southern exposure was reopened and absorbed into the living area. This intervention expanded the functional territory of the space while introducing flexibility in how boundaries operate. Wooden sliding screens paired with hammered glass create variable thresholds that modify light transmission, acoustic isolation, and visual connection depending on position. When closed, the screens establish enclosure without full separation – the translucent quality of the glass maintains spatial continuity while reducing visual clarity. When retracted, the listening room dissolves into the broader domestic landscape, supporting the fluid movement between activities that domestic life requires.
Light diffuses through the textured glass surface in a manner distinct from clear glazing, softening boundaries while preserving luminosity. Acoustically, the screens provide sufficient damping for concentrated listening without achieving the isolation of dedicated audio spaces. This calibration reflects an understanding that domestic environments demand adaptability rather than specialized optimization – the same space must accommodate both immersive listening sessions and the casual background presence of music during other activities.
The occupant’s collection of vintage furniture and audio equipment informed decisions about material durability and tactile refinement. Surfaces needed to withstand regular contact while developing character through use rather than deterioration. This consideration extends to details like the pendant light above the tea preparation area – a hand-blown glass fixture by Naoya Arakawa with adjustable height. The capacity to raise or lower the light transforms a functional adjustment into deliberate gesture, marking transitions between activities through a physical ritual embedded in the architecture itself.
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