Forest Living Residential House | Winner Designs
Forest Living Residential House by Cheng He Interior Design Studio

Forest Living Residential House

Silver A' Design Award Winner 2024

Cheng He Interior Design Studio's Forest Living Residential House exemplifies contemporary residential design's embrace of communal gathering spaces that merge the intimacy of domestic interiors with the intellectual aspirations of library environments. The composition reveals a masterful orchestration of material contrasts wherein the warmth of natural timber shelving establishes visual and psychological comfort against the raw honesty of exposed concrete structural elements, a dialogue that speaks to current architectural discourse around authentic materiality and biophilic design principles. The expansive shelving wall, organized into a generous grid of display and storage cubicles partially populated with books and decorative objects, functions simultaneously as architectural backdrop, spatial definer, and programmatic element, inviting residents to curate personal collections while contributing to collective visual richness. The technical achievement of the double-height space becomes evident in the sophisticated handling of natural light, which enters through the extensive glazing to wash the concrete surfaces in soft, even illumination while allowing the timber to absorb and radiate warmth. Furniture selection demonstrates thoughtful curation, with the communal tables and Scandinavian-influenced seating suggesting a design philosophy that prioritizes social interaction and shared experience within residential contexts. The pendant lighting installation introduces scale-appropriate vertical elements that humanize the generous volume while providing functional task illumination for the gathering areas below. This interior suggests an evolved understanding of contemporary dwelling that values community formation, intellectual pursuit, and material authenticity as essential components of residential well-being, inviting viewers to consider how shared spaces within residential developments might foster meaningful human connection.

Back to the roots is the theme of the design. Since the building is located at the foot of Ali Mountain, a large amount of wood is used as the base, creating a harmonious connection between the interior and exterior. Hometown is deeply ingrained in the mind. The hometown will always be home no matter how long you're away. In the latter half of the journey of life, the homeowner has decided to move back to the hometown. This retirement abode highlights the deep-seated love and longing for the hometown, emphasizing the unbreakable bond with family and the lasting impact it has on life.