House and Office by Cabinet YFY is a quiet act of renewal—set within the shell of a modest 1960s residence in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, originally built as an auxiliary dormitory for the Japanese Navy’s Sixth Fuel Factory.
Neither nostalgically restored nor erased, the structure is reimagined as a hybrid living-working space that navigates between memory, material, and modern life.
Conceived as both a personal and professional endeavor, the project serves as the architects’ own residence and studio. This dual role allowed for an unusually intimate design process—anchored in introspection, spatial clarity, and restraint. The interior is deliberately austere yet warm: raw concrete defines the primary surfaces, while sliding plywood partitions and built-in joinery introduce a gentle material contrast. The modest palette allows light, texture, and movement to become the expressive elements of the space.
At the core of the house, a small inner pool quietly asserts its presence. Positioned between the domestic and work zones, it acts as both threshold and anchor—dividing functions while unifying the architecture. Above it, a section of the roof has been replaced with translucent material, allowing natural light to spill into the space and cast reflections that shimmer across walls and ceilings. Goldfish swim below the surface, animating these reflections and bringing a meditative rhythm to daily life.
Architect Lin draws inspiration from Eastern garden design and childhood memories of community living. The result is an architecture of interwoven atmospheres—where natural elements, historical traces, and quiet rituals coexist. Spatially, the house is defined by layered connections. Internal partitions have been minimized, and openings are strategically placed to reveal shifting views and relationships between rooms. Even from the street, glimpses into the interior suggest a space that is both private and porous, open yet grounded.
At its most complex point, the house becomes a site of convergence. Traditional religious practices, everyday routines, casual conversations, and the quiet life of the garden pool all unfold in overlapping rhythms. These scenes appear and fade organically—without hierarchy or prescription—reflecting the fluidity of contemporary life lived between reflection and activity.
