ROW HOUSE BADE ROAD
In Taiwan’s present building culture, the overlooked potential of modest existing buildings is frequently underestimated. There is a prevailing belief that demolishing old structures and constructing new ones is preferable. Unprofessional.studio challenges this assumption by engaging with Taipei’s existing urban typologies. In 2022, the architects converted a two-story townhouse into two residential units, offering a contemporary solution to the issue of vacant and demolished properties in the capital city.
Row House Bade Road is a two-story row house typology common in Taiwan during the 1960s. Originally constructed on the city outskirts as a contrast to the hectic, densely populated urban center, it now occupies a prime location in the heart of Taipei. Over the decades, the original homogeneity of the row house development evolved through renovations, extensions, and occasional construction of high-rise buildings to become the chaotic and diverse urban landscape that characterizes the island’s capital city.
Situated on a narrow street, the townhouse measures 4.60 meters wide and 19 meters deep. To the front is a compact courtyard enclosed by a slender brick wall. At the back, facing a neighboring building, is a second courtyard measuring 1.70
meters deep. These modest outdoor areas provide the rectangular structure with some natural light and ventilation opportunities. Additionally, they serve as buffers against street noise and provide a space for growing plants and drying clothes.
There is a common perception in Taiwan that high-quality housing is synonymous with new construction. To meet contemporary expectations for quality while working with the existing building, unprofessional.studio took advantage of the unique characteristics of this typically narrow typology of Taipei and reimagined the traditional interior hallway. The result was the creation of two single-level apartments, each consisting of a kitchen, living room, dining area, bathroom, and
two bedrooms. The floor areas were redefined by strategically positioned pairs of geometrically-shaped walls, forming two triangles in the lower apartment and two circular elements in the upper dwelling. These walls delineate the private spaces,
such as the bedrooms and bathroom, while the remaining space forms a continuous area extending from the front to the back of the building, accommodating communal functions like living, dining, and cooking. This permeable, open layout allows for natural ventilation, circulating air from the cooler backyard throughout the dwelling to the front courtyard, thus reducing the need for air conditioning for most of the year in Taiwan’s warm climate. The open spaces at the ends of each apartment feature ample glazing, enabling residents to experience daylight, weather conditions, temperature changes, and different lighting atmospheres.
Throughout the design process, emphasis was placed on highlighting both the existing structure and the new elements, visually mapping the different layers of time. This was achieved by contrasting the original rectangular structure and the
intersecting components of its framework with the new angled and circular elements. A similar approach was followed in the selection of materials. Rather than employing the identical cost-effective materials used initially, the new intervention opted for alternative straightforward and economical building materials that meet modern standards and effectively serve their intended purpose. For instance, the triangular walls on the ground floor were constructed using prefabricated hollow concrete bricks, while the circular room dividers on the first floor are made of lightweight bent plywood. To maintain a unified appearance in terms of color, a gray lime-cement slurry was applied to the interior masonry, allowing the collage of bricks and other wall materials to remain visible.
