Casa Xin is a minimal home located in Hohhot, China, designed by NA-DECO. The significance of exploring the values of architecture is far greater than meeting the basic functional needs. Starting from the spirit, architecture will still return to the spirit ultimately, and so is space. The hostess of this apartment is an artist with unique dressing taste and aesthetic opinions, holding different expectations for this new home that should be low-key but profound. For her Hui nationality, the designers got the inspiration from the mosque this time, taking the arch as the main space symbol to expand the design. The kitchen space, living space and balcony are separated by two arched walls, just like the curtains of the stage performance.

Walking through them, one can get the sense of ritual in different life scenes during the day. Inspired by the hostess dress style, the low-key decorative materials, like warm plaster, plain ceramic tiles, elegant curtain are used in the space. The plain ground is intermittently interrupted by tiles with Muslim-style patterns, framing different scenes and enriching the spatial visual level. A dome formed GUBI’s chandelier hangs over the dining table, echoing the arch in the space while becoming a golden focal point in the quietness. All the bedrooms and bathrooms are arranged on the side of the space, connected by an arched corridor, where the light shines from the side, making people like standing in the mosque cloister, warm and sacred. 

Under its protection, the bedroom spaces seem to be private and pure. Vibrant orange ceramic tiles are inlaid on the ground like a carpet. When opening the bedroom door into the corridor, it suggests the beginning of a cheerful and busy day. The extensive use of plaster on the wall, giving the space a sense of time, is a special backdrop for modern life. The designers do not deliberately create a spotless modern feeling, while avoids rendering a pure wabi-sabi atmosphere. All the furnishings are naturally placed where they should belong. As Louis Kahn said, “Listen to the building’s own voice”, only when the space has its own spirit can the value of the designer is finally realized.

Photography by Ha Da