【 邛 — The Serene Anchor】A Silent Answer to a Peaceful Life
If every encounter in life is meant to be a reunion after a long separation, then this space, named “邛” (The Serene Anchor), is where two wandering souls have finally found their peaceful harbor at the edge of time.
This home belongs to a couple who have both spent years striving within the design industry. Through countless sleepless nights, they communicated with layouts and light across their respective drafting tables, remaining isolated yet fundamentally intertwined amidst the urban clamor. After a long journey through their youth, the wandering pursuit of ideals has finally slowed down within this thirty-five-ping, three-bedroom, two-living-room sanctuary. Like the blossoming tree in Xi Murong’s poetry, they waited quietly at the ferry of time, finally exchanging years of dedication for a living space that truly understands their inner essence.
The Chinese character “邛” signifies a towering, majestic mountain; it represents the unshakeable, calm, and enveloping sanctuary within their hearts.
As designers who hold near-obsessive standards for aesthetics, they eschewed startling ostentation, choosing instead to channel their passion into a restrained, quiet luxury. The extensive use of natural wood tones forms the foundational texture of life, exuding a faint warmth akin to timber baked by the sun. Raw stone and deep-toned sintered stone bring the grounding weight of the earth amidst a crisp, clean geometry. This subtle “color of colorlessness” seamlessly integrates the spiritual emptiness of Japanese Zen into crisp, modern minimalist lines. The wooden louvers and grilles along the walls act like the needles of a timepiece; when sunlight filters through the sheer curtains, casting dappled shadows on the dark sintered stone, the superficial glitz of the world fades away, leaving only pure clarity.
The most vibrant, delightful element within the space belongs to their two adorable cats. This is not merely a residence for humans, but a prose poem celebrating “coexistence.” The design completely breaks down the traditional barriers of a three-bedroom layout, fully liberating the expansive public domain. The subtle ribbons of light along the ceilings and cabinetry edges gently soften the sharp boundaries of the space, while simultaneously serving as a discreet pathway for the cats. The floating, low-profile stone platforms and extended stone surfaces satisfy contemporary demands for clean-cut aesthetics while subtly transforming into natural steps for the feline masters to leap and look out from. Without the clutter of conventional pet furniture, functionality is elegantly hidden within the minimalist structure. As the cats stretch lazily in the light, both humans and felines find their own comfortable rhythm of breathing through the passage of time.
This project was conceived with the mission of participating in Japan’s prestigious Good Design Award under the interior space category. The design addresses more than just the urban housing challenge of how humans and pets can harmoniously share a shared environment; it offers a profound philosophical reflection on the true essence of “home.” Through modern craftsmanship that meticulously translates natural wood and stone, the designer allows the space to return to nature and purity, perfectly demonstrating how to comfort the urban spirit through the inherent warmth of materials within a minimalist framework.
“I believe that beautiful souls are destined to meet.”
Under the shelter of The Serene Anchor, time is no longer an hourglass rushing us to age, but a lyrical poem that can be chanted repeatedly. With cats by their side and each other to hold, they have finally claimed the quiet life they always desired amidst the Zen-infused harmony of wood and stone.