Atelier Gratia’s Star House is a monolithic concrete residential structure that stands out of the Kaohsiung’s urban landscape

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

“Different living quarters are connected like stars in a constellation through intermediary spaces that offer buffer and transition, where a balance between family unity and individual privacy can be maintained,” says Grace Ming-En Chang, lead architect of Atelier Gratia.

Star House by Atelier Gratia

“The house is like a giant sundial where the passing time and changing seasons are noted: planetary movements are constantly felt through the ever-changing shadow play below the skylights, while the colors of the sky are captured on the kaleidoscopic surfaces of the panoramic glass façades that wrap around the courtyard.”

Grace Ming-En Chang of Atelier Gratia has designed a residential building made of concrete in the center of the city of Kaohsiung, located in an angular, loosely star-shaped plot from which the project has gained its name.

A sanctuary shielded by a monolithic concrete mass in a dense neighborhood, the design of Star House revolves around the concept of the stars, where reflection, refraction, and triangulation are the recurring themes.

Star House by Atelier Gratia

The Star House has a central courtyard framed by several smaller patios that dot the floor plan of the four different stories, opening up the interiors, while creating connections and in-between areas.

It features a powerful aesthetic, its volume carefully crafted in angular concrete, which cuts a bold shape in residential streets.

The concrete’s roughness is complemented by swathes of glass, which allow the space to visually flow, as well as timber.

Project: Star House
Architects: Atelier Gratia
Lead Architect: Grace Ming-En Chang
Clients: Sheng-Lee Chang and Hui-Ying Yan
Photographer: Yi-Hsien Lee

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