C.S.C Residence Project: Rethinking Spatial Layout and Connection with Indoor and Outdoor Environments

C.S.C Residence Project: Contemporary Architectural Renovation

The C.S.C Residence project is located in Taipei and serves as an example of how to renovate older homes while supporting a contemporary lifestyle. The core idea of the project was not to replace the structure but to reorganize the spaces to make optimal use of the total area of 311 square meters, including the balconies.

Design of Common Areas

The design focused on an integrated public area that combines several functions:

• An open kitchen with a cooking island.
• A circular dining table seating up to ten people.
• A tea preparation area.

Upon entering the residence, the kitchen island emphasizes the clear organization of spaces, acting as a separator between the kitchen and the rest of the public areas.

Natural Light and Its Role in the Space

Natural light plays a key role in shaping the spatial atmosphere of the common area. A continuous row of windows above the countertop allows light to penetrate deeply into the interior, giving the space a sense of openness and expansiveness. This architectural approach links aesthetic function with visual comfort, while enhancing connectivity between the different elements of the space.

Social Activity Focus: The Circular Dining Table

At the center of the layout, the circular dining table serves as a focal point for daily activities and social gatherings. This interior design enhances communication among family members and guests, creating a natural space for interaction within the common area.

Functional Layers and Natural Lighting

Further inside the space, the tea preparation area and tea bar extend to complement the public zone, supported by additional windows. This layered arrangement ensures that:

• Shared spaces remain naturally illuminated throughout the day.
• Dependence on artificial lighting is reduced, enhancing visual comfort and lowering energy consumption.

Private Areas and Wellness

Private spaces stretch along the building’s long façade and include:

• Master bedroom.
• Guest room.
• Home gym.
• Sauna equipped with hot and cold pools.

This organization maintains continuity within the spaces while clearly separating public and private zones, promoting privacy and comfort for residents without compromising the visual connection between elements of the overall building design.

Upper Floor: Open-Plan Environment

A staircase adjacent to the tea preparation area leads to the upper floor, designed as an open-plan environment. This floor accommodates:

• A home cinema lounge.
• An open office.
• A small bar.

Subtle changes in floor level are used to articulate different functions within the space, adding spatial depth without reducing visual continuity or the smooth flow of movement.

Connection with the Outdoor Environment

The entertainment room opens towards a carefully landscaped garden pond through full-height glazed openings. When weather conditions permit, these openings can be fully opened, achieving:

• A visually connected view between the interior and exterior.
• Physical interaction with the natural environment, despite the residence’s urban context in Taipei.

This design demonstrates how modern architecture can blend privacy, entertainment, and environmental connectivity while enhancing the user experience within the home.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The C.S.C Residence project serves as an example of how older homes can be approached through spatial reorganization rather than structural replacement, reflecting a focus on making the most of existing construction and available resources. On the positive side, the emphasis on natural light and visual connection between public and private areas provides a sense of openness and engagement with the external environment.

However, the project also presents certain challenges that may affect the replicability of this model or its broader applicability. Relying on an open-plan layout with subtle floor level changes may make it difficult for the average user to distinguish functional boundaries without clear visual cues. Additionally, positioning private areas along the building’s long façade could limit privacy in some situations, especially if glass walls face a dense urban context. Likewise, heavy reliance on glazed openings for natural light and environmental connection may pose climatic challenges, such as temperature and sound control or long-term energy sustainability.

Practitioners and architects can benefit from the project as a case study on how to balance spatial expansion, natural lighting, and multifunctionality in older homes, while recognizing the need to adapt these concepts to local context, climate constraints, and privacy considerations. This makes the project a valuable reference for generating new design ideas, though it is not a model that can be adopted directly without modification.

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★ ArchUp: Technical Analysis of C.S.C Residence House

This article provides a technical analysis of the C.S.C Residence house renovation project in Taipei, as a case study in restructuring interior spaces and achieving optimal visual connectivity within a dense urban fabric. To enhance the archival value, we would like to present the following key technical and design data:

Spatial Plan & Restructuring:
The spatial plan is based on a complete restructuring of interior partitions while preserving 100% of the original reinforced concrete structure. A traditional segmented layout was transformed into a 70% open-plan space. The total area is 311 square meters distributed across 3 levels, with 65% of the floor area allocated to shared common areas. The design features the use of 15-20 cm floor level variations to define functions without visual barriers, achieving full visual continuity along the longitudinal axis of the house.

Lighting System & External Connection:
The lighting and external connection system features high-performance double-glazed windows installed on 85% of the southern façade, with clerestory windows above the kitchen work surface to ensure natural light penetration to a depth of up to 8 meters. Full-pivot door systems in the living areas allow entire walls to transform into openings facing the interior garden. A smart control system for lighting and shading supports adjusting interior light intensity between 50-500 lux according to time and function, reducing dependence on artificial lighting by 60% during the day.

Materials & Integrated Functional Efficiency:
In terms of materials and functional efficiency, the design combines polished oak flooring (40%), curved gypsum walls (30%), and natural marble surfaces (20%), while preserving the original refurbished wooden beams as an aesthetic element. The house includes integrated facilities comprising a wooden sauna with hot and cold plunge pools (10-45°C), a home cinema with acoustic insulation of STC 55, and a gym equipped with independent ventilation systems. The design achieves optimal movement efficiency by reducing distances between main activity zones by an average of 25% compared to the original layout.

Related Link: Please review this article to understand urban housing update strategies within structural constraints:
Beneath the Surface: Reshaping Interior Spaces Without Touching the Structure.