Gathering Residence

Gathering Residence

Gathering Residence is an award-winning interior space design project that exemplifies contemporary residential architecture through its innovative approach to spatial organization and material application, specifically conceived to serve as both a private dwelling and a communal gathering space for extended family and social circles. Designed by Mason Ching and Chloe Chang of C9 Design and completed in June 2022 in Taiwan, this 151-square-meter residence demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how vertical and horizontal spatial dimensions can be manipulated to create an expansive, stress-free environment that accommodates visitors of diverse age groups while maintaining functional efficiency and aesthetic coherence. The design philosophy underlying Gathering Residence centers on a people-oriented approach that deliberately transcends conventional residential frameworks, employing a refined light gray color scheme accented with gold leaf, glass elements, and titanium plating to establish a dynamic aesthetic vocabulary that communicates both elegance and vitality. The architectural intervention involved a significant reorganization of the original four-bedroom layout, transforming the space into a more open configuration featuring three plus one bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, and two bathrooms, with particular emphasis placed on expanding the living areas and master bedroom to include a dedicated dressing room and strategic storage solutions integrated near the hallway. Central to the design concept is the exploitation of the site's advantageous high ceilings, which the design team leveraged to create a sense of grandeur and spatial liberation, most notably manifested in the foyer through the installation of upright glass blocks that achieve a delicate balance between light transmission and privacy while presenting a three-dimensional visual effect that enhances the perception of spaciousness. The material palette of Gathering Residence demonstrates technical sophistication and craftsmanship, incorporating slab tiles, glass tiles, moru glass, iron components, special paints, titanium-plated trim, woodwork, and ceramic tiles, with particular attention devoted to the labor-intensive process of constructing structurally sound glass tile walls using reinforcement structures in brick joints, a technique that differs substantially from contemporary glass brick systems and results in distinctive edge-to-edge stacking that creates novel visual effects. The public areas of the residence are unified through a carefully orchestrated ceiling design that responds to varying heights, employing geometric configurations that accommodate necessary piping while achieving vertical enlargement effects that amplify the sense of openness and flow throughout the living and dining spaces. A defining feature of Gathering Residence is the custom-designed three-meter-long dining table that serves as the focal point for social interaction, capable of accommodating large gatherings where adults and children can simultaneously engage in their respective activities, complemented by an adjacent storage area featuring a duplex-like functionality with glass panel partitions that ensure safety while maintaining visual connectivity between different zones of the residence. The design team confronted several significant challenges during the realization of Gathering Residence, including the logistical complexities of transporting and installing large-format slab tiles, the technical requirements of reconfiguring drainage systems for toilets and bathrooms, and the necessity of reconciling structural considerations with Feng Shui principles to establish optimal directional orientation and circulation patterns that contribute to the overall comfort and functionality of the home. The kitchen underwent a transformative redesign, converted into a duplex layout through the strategic removal of unnecessary partitions, thereby enhancing spatial efficiency and creating a more integrated relationship between cooking and social areas. The interplay of lines, layers, stone, and wood throughout Gathering Residence generates a diverse range of formal expressions while maintaining design consistency, ultimately producing what can be characterized as a majestic aesthetic that balances monumentality with domestic intimacy. The distinction between public and private zones within the residence is carefully calibrated, with the public areas designed to facilitate large-scale social interaction and the private areas configured to provide comfortable, relaxing environments with well-appointed bathrooms and thoughtful functional arrangements. The use of building materials such as glass tiles and special paints contributes to the creation of a vibrant, textured stylistic character that animates the interior spaces and reinforces the residence's identity as a place of dynamic social exchange. The transparent glass elements integrated throughout the design serve multiple purposes, increasing visual communication between spaces, preventing accidents in areas where children play, and contributing to the overall sense of openness that defines the spatial experience. The name Gathering Residence directly reflects the primary programmatic requirement that shaped the design process, namely the client's desire for a space that could accommodate substantial numbers of people for social events while simultaneously functioning as a comfortable daily living environment for a household of two permanent residents. The design team's approach to Gathering Residence demonstrates their commitment to creating unique spatial experiences centered on client needs, adhering to what they describe as the perfect balance of art, quality, and life, and their dedication to transforming design concepts into works that possess both practical utility and aesthetic distinction. The project's success in achieving its ambitious programmatic goals while maintaining high standards of material execution and spatial refinement was recognized through its receipt of the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design category in 2025, an accolade that acknowledges designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness, and which recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. The Bronze A' Design Award designation affirms that Gathering Residence represents an amply skillful and strikingly creative artifact that authenticates the experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of its designers, positioning it as a highly-regarded, admired, and cherished example of contemporary residential design that incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology. The residence's strong technical characteristics, combined with tasteful application of creative skill and excellent attention to detail, demonstrate how interior design can provide quality of life improvements that contribute to making the world a better place by splendidly satisfying human needs, touching desires, charming feelings, and appealing to curiosity through spaces that facilitate meaningful social connection and individual wellbeing. Gathering Residence exemplifies how contemporary interior design can transcend purely functional requirements to create environments that actively shape and enhance human experience, demonstrating that residential spaces can serve as catalysts for social interaction while maintaining the comfort, privacy, and aesthetic refinement expected of high-quality domestic architecture.

High ceilings, open plan residential design, grayscale interior palette, glass tile construction, duplex functionality, contemporary Taiwanese interior architecture

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. 'Gathering Residence.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/gathering-residence?E=482821 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"