This is an architectural renovation project designed by atelier-architecture for working requirements and living conditions of an artist. We named the project Apartment 55 (A55) because the number 55 has a special meaning to the owner. Photography by Haiting Sun

The apartment is located on the top floor of a five-story building. The owner wants to keep the existing courtyard and ensure the functions of work, reception, exhibition and daily life at the same time. His studios require an absolute sense of privacy, thus it takes a great amount of consideration about the position of the painting, the angle of the light and the vision of the artist himself.

The biggest challenge of this project is how to renovate and make rooms for all functions within the limits of the carrying capacity of the original structure. After reorganizing the spatial arrangement, we redefined the building and courtyard, and rearranged the horizontal and vertical circulation. The added load is controlled within 9 tons after the latest calculation of the whole structure. The brand-new steel structure is ?tied? to the original concrete frame so that it can not only avoid negative impact on the original structure but also play a certain role of enclosure. As for the circulation and spatial planning, it starts at the main entrance and goes inward to the public areas (reception room, exhibition room), and transitioning towards the semi-public areas and private ...