Architectural Cases

The Keker Collection, an innovative project by designer Reza Raeisifar, redefines the function of standard Venetian blinds by transforming their discarded aluminum slats into a dynamic, modular lighting system. This initiative commenced in 2018 when Raeisifar recognized the potential for repurposing these materials. What were once components for blocking and controlling natural light are now meticulously integrated into a system that directs and diffuses artificial illumination. This approach not only showcases a commitment to recycling but also introduces a family of versatile lighting fixtures, each built on a unified, adaptable design principle.

The conceptualization of the Keker Collection stems from an initial encounter with an aged Venetian blind, inspiring Raeisifar to explore new applications for its constituent parts. This concept gained momentum when he was invited to contribute a lighting design to the interior of the Afarinesh project at Shiraz University. The resulting system ingeniously shifts the aluminum slats' role from regulating ambient light to sculpturing and distributing illumination from an internal artificial source. This transformation is achieved with minimal material use, highlighting efficiency and resourcefulness. The innovative design creates various lighting typologies, offering both functionality and aesthetic appeal while promoting sustainable practices in product development.

Transforming Discarded Materials into Luminous Artistry

The Keker Collection represents a pioneering stride in sustainable design, demonstrating how reclaimed materials can be imbued with new purpose and aesthetic value. Reza Raeisifar's vision began with the humble Venetian blind, an object typically designed for light regulation, and reimagined its core components. By repurposing aluminum slats that would otherwise contribute to waste, the collection crafts a series of modular lighting fixtures. This innovative approach extends the lifecycle of materials and challenges conventional notions of waste, illustrating that functional and beautiful objects can emerge from discarded resources. The project’s inception underscores a commitment to environmental consciousness, marrying artistic expression with ecological responsibility.

Each piece within the Keker Collection begins its life as a repurposed aluminum slat, meticulously integrated into a structural framework of laser-cut acrylic sheets. This design choice not only ensures durability but also facilitates a modular assembly, allowing for diverse configurations and lighting effects. An energy-efficient LED light source, centrally positioned, casts light outwards, while the curved slats artfully conceal the source, preventing glare and enhancing visual comfort. The interplay of these elements produces captivating patterns of light and shadow, transforming illumination into a dynamic visual experience. The Keker Collection, therefore, is more than just lighting; it is a statement on the potential of upcycling to create objects that are both environmentally friendly and aesthetically compelling, reflecting a thoughtful interaction between form, function, and sustainability.

Modular Design and Evolving Illumination Concepts

The Keker Collection's foundation rests on a highly adaptable modular design, allowing its core elements to be reconfigured into a wide array of lighting solutions. This flexibility is central to the project's success, enabling the creation of various typologies without straying from the original material and structural principles. From its initial presentation in 2019 at Ordibehesht Gallery, the collection has grown to include pendant, linear, ceiling, wall-mounted, and floor-standing versions. This evolution showcases the inherent versatility of the design, proving that a single concept, rooted in the reuse of aluminum slats, can inspire a comprehensive range of lighting applications, each maintaining its distinctive aesthetic and functional integrity.

At the heart of Keker's modularity are the longitudinally cut aluminum slats, which are precisely fitted into grooves within laser-cut acrylic sheets. This construction method allows for a repeated, consistent arrangement that defines the form and light-shaping capabilities of each fixture. The centralized LED light source ensures even distribution, while the cleverly curved slats manage light direction, crafting a harmonious balance of illumination and shadow. The adaptability of the Keker system means that each piece can serve different spatial and aesthetic needs, from creating dramatic radial shadows on walls to providing a sculptural presence as a pendant lamp. This continuous development, culminating in a full collection presented at Design Gallery One, highlights Keker's journey from an exploratory concept to a versatile and sustainable lighting solution that dynamically interacts with its environment.

Unlocking the Potential of Limited Space: A Masterclass in Adaptable Architecture

The Genesis of a Transformative Concept: Reprogramming Domestic Space

In the vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, renowned architect Gary Chang has pioneered an extraordinary concept in urban living. His "Domestic Transformer" apartment, spanning a modest 32 square meters, ingeniously reconfigures a compact residential unit into a dynamic array of environments. Through the strategic implementation of movable walls, retractable furnishings, and ceiling-mounted guidance systems, this space can morph into as many as 24 distinct layouts. This ongoing architectural endeavor challenges traditional notions of domesticity, positing that a confined area need not limit one’s way of life.

A Personal Journey Inspiring Spatial Innovation: From Childhood to Architectural Vision

Chang’s inspiration for this adaptive design stems from his personal history within the very same apartment. Having moved in at the age of fourteen in 1976, he shared the dwelling with his parents, three sisters, and an additional tenant. The original layout comprised several small bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and circulation routes. Lacking a private room, Chang would sleep on a wooden bench in the central passageway after his family had retired. This formative experience led him to question the conventional idea that household functions must be confined to fixed, unalterable rooms.

The Evolution of Adaptability: From Cellular to Mechanized Living

Over the years, Chang’s architectural practice has refined this innovative idea through various stages of the apartment’s evolution. What began as a series of rigid, cellular rooms first transitioned into an open-plan experiment. Subsequently, a version employing curtains as flexible dividers was explored, culminating in the highly mechanized "Domestic Transformer" system unveiled in 2007. Each iteration built upon the last, progressively enhancing the apartment’s capacity for seamless transformation.

Dynamic Interiors: Reshaping Space with Movable Elements

Chang’s design philosophy centers on consolidating essential services and storage along the apartment’s periphery, thereby liberating the central area for continuous reconfiguration. An overhead mechanical system supports the main sliding partitions, which glide along steel tracks anchored to the concrete ceiling. This ingenious arrangement eliminates floor tracks, allowing for effortless movement of the storage walls. These partitions are not merely dividers; they are functional units, housing appliances, clothing, and entertainment systems. Consequently, repositioning a wall instantly alters the accessibility and function of various zones within the apartment.

Crafting Illusions: The Art of Material and Light in Compact Design

The apartment utilizes lightweight honeycomb aluminum panels for deployable countertops and work surfaces. A hydraulic bed, when not in use, elegantly folds away to unveil a spacious living area. Mirrored surfaces and metallic finishes are strategically integrated to create a sense of fluidity and expansiveness, making the compact interior feel less confined and perpetually shifting. These transformations enable the apartment to fulfill diverse roles, including a more expansive kitchen, a primary bedroom, a guest sleeping zone, a spa-like retreat, a home cinema with a hammock lounge, an enclosed dining space, a walk-in wardrobe, and an open-plan studio. The design purposefully avoids prioritizing certain functions over others, instead demonstrating how even amenities typically found in much larger homes can be integrated.

Optimizing Natural Light and Ensuring Privacy Through Innovative Solutions

The apartment’s flexibility extends beyond its physical boundaries. A motorized screen regulates the influx of natural light, and when retracted, a yellow-tinted glazing infuses the interior with a warm ambiance. This thoughtful integration of light manipulation not only adjusts the room’s atmosphere but also subtly alters the perception of the compact space. Addressing the challenge of acoustics in kinetic architecture, where movable partitions require clearance, Chang incorporates sound isolation into the wet area. This allows the enclosed steam shower to double as a private sanctuary for phone calls, cleverly mitigating the inherent acoustic compromises of a flexible layout.

Historical Precedents and Urban Inspirations: The Roots of Transformative Architecture

Chang’s design ethos draws from a rich lineage of architectural thought that challenges the static nature of rooms. Examples include Gerrit Rietveld’s 1924 Schröder House, which utilized sliding panels to redefine interior spaces, and William L. Murphy’s pioneering wall-bed system for single-room apartments. Traditional Japanese fusuma and shoji screens also provide historical context for adaptable interiors. Moreover, Chang finds immediate inspiration in Hong Kong’s street hawkers, whose stalls expand during peak hours and contract when not needed, epitomizing the efficient use of limited urban space. This comparison re-frames the concept of transformability from a high-tech novelty to a practical, urban strategy for maximizing utility.

A Broader Vision for Adaptable Living: Beyond a Single Solution

The "Domestic Transformer" is not an isolated solution but a crucial phase in a more extensive architectural inquiry. Earlier precedents, such as Chang’s 2002 Suitcase House at the Commune by the Great Wall near Beijing, showcased similar principles with moving and pneumatic elements to create varying degrees of openness and privacy. These concepts were subsequently applied to commercial residential developments in Hong Kong, where kinetic cabinetry enhances the adaptability of smaller units. The apartment serves as a personal laboratory, allowing Chang to directly experience and refine ideas related to movement, storage, privacy, and daily routines within an intimate setting.

Rethinking Residential Capacity: A Home That Transforms with Time

The enduring significance of the "Domestic Transformer" transcends its mere 24 configurations; it lies in the fundamental question it poses: how much space do we truly need? Chang’s design doesn’t aim to mimic a much larger apartment within 32 square meters. Instead, it eloquently demonstrates how the same footprint can support a broader spectrum of activities when rooms are no longer conceived as fixed entities. This flexibility, however, demands active engagement from the resident, who must operate the various partitions and furniture elements. While transformability isn’t a direct substitute for sheer volume, it represents a sophisticated method of spatial organization. In a city where residential space is a premium, this project offers a profound re-evaluation of domestic capacity. Its architecture is not measured by the number of rooms it can contain, but by the diverse lives it can accommodate. Ultimately, the "Domestic Transformer" proposes a home that can shift and evolve, where a bedroom, kitchen, dining area, cinema, or workspace doesn't need to be permanently defined. By allowing functions to take turns, Chang ingeniously integrates time itself into the apartment’s floor plan.