Platinum Winner of the International Architecture & Design Awards 2025

An asymmetric V-shape house

Architecture

Custom Home Architecture

Completed / Professional Category

Architect / Designer:

KO-YANG LIN

Studio:

KYLIN architecture

Country:

Taiwan

The long and narrow V-shaped site challenges the designer to arrange a building and outdoor spaces. Typically, the building would be on one side and leave the outdoor space on the other. However, the designer uses a central entrance and spreads the building on both sides to make three different kinds of gardens, which surround the building and give dynamic landscape views. The northern garden is functional with parking space and trees in line, which face a multi-functional room. The middle one, offering a static view of Taiwan Pine, provides a relaxing atmosphere merging with the living and dining room. The southern garden is active because of the ups and downs of mound and flowering plants.

Although the trick shape of the site unbalances the interior plan, its long borderline gives two opportunities. The house can enjoy changing sunlight in different rooms by various orientations of openings, including the skylight above the tub and the stair. Besides, the long enclosure wall is not only designed for protection and privacy but also acts as a bridge to connect neighbors. On the southern point, the wall is equipped with a concrete chair for resting, and the house owner can climb the ups of the mound to chat with neighbors across the wall. In the middle of the wall, a particular translucent window is located to allow the neighbors to see into the southern garden. On the other side, the wall is combined with the building and fully open in the parking lot. All the strategies show a warm welcoming feeling instead of the fear of a big house.

Moreover, in order to balance the interior space, an asymmetric balcony is created in the middle of the house, which makes all rooms have square spaces. Additionally, more than 60% of the construction materials and equipment follow the national green building standard for achieving sustainability and energy efficiency.