Changfa Residence is a minimal house located in Shanghai, China, designed by MANN Architects. The objective of the project was to create a realistic and tangible natural living space for the client. The architect wanted it to be both abstract and realistic, with a strong expressionist sentiment. The studio wanted to present a spatial atmosphere in combination with the likes of paintings by Edward Hopper and Mark Rothko. The project is located in a high-rise residential building in the centre of the city. The original space had a low ceiling height, closed layout and insufficient light – the overall space needed to be optimized. Although the original natural materials are usually rougher in surface and not conducive to reflecting light, the client wanted a bright and comfortable feeling of living in space while still maintaining the original natural atmosphere. The closed kitchen was opened and turned into an extension of the living space, and the two small bathrooms were combined into one large bathroom. These changes to the layout have opened up the previously closed and dark rooms and allowed natural light to enter more easily. In terms of materials, in addition to natural travertine and wood, the studio also used a mass of white paint to make the space light more uniform and brighter.