MOZHAO ARCHITECTS

In the past 20 to 30 years, a large number of low-end industrial parks have been built in Shajin, Baoan District, Shenzhen to meet the booming labor-intensive industries. Therefore, each park provided dormitories for the employees in proportion. The national industrial upgrading strategy, the increase in labor and production costs, and the implementation of environmental protection policies have led to the relocation of the low-end industries, and those dormitories in bad condition have been gradually vacant. At the same time, the infrastructure of subway transportation and the high housing rent in the city center have caused a large number of white-collar workers to move out to live. As a result, the apartments renovated from the dormitories fit in well with the market demand.

The layout of the dormitory before renovation only meets the sleeping requirement and the space is small and crowded. The dimension of the original dormitory unit is 3.4mx5.6m. In order to enlarge the interior space, the balcony made of steel is cantilevered from the concrete structure. At the same time, the partition walls between units have three colors of red, yellow and grey, and these colors are randomly arranged among the facade. And the aluminum gratings that cover outdoor air conditioners change with horizontal and vertical two directions. Thereby, the whole apartment's facade renovation is the result of the construction of a series of new functional components. By researching people's living habits and human scale, each living program is compactly and orderly arranged in the small interior space. The different material textures and the mix of colors of interior design create a comfortable and pleasant living atmosphere. Except the upgrading of living units, the apartment also includes public programs such as shared kitchen, fitness space, audio-visual recreation, roof-top court and landscape courtyard. These public spaces not only improve the living condition, but also become the cohesion of the community, enriching the residents’ public life.