Garden Gallery Residence

Yatofu Creatives has transformed a rare garden apartment in downtown Shanghai into an urban refuge filled with custom artwork and furnishings.  The apartment itself is located in a well sought-after luxury building and features 180 square meters of interior space and a private garden of around 150 square meters.  In adhering to the client’s preference for all things bespoke, Yatofu set out to create a warm yet gallery-like space, showcasing a collection of art pieces and furnishings created in collaboration with artists and artisans, made specifically for the residence, and filling the interior with artful expression.

To design a sophisticated yet calm and inviting space, Yatofu Creatives first created a neutral canvas by paring back elaborated architectural details in favor of minimalistic form language, and selecting surface materials that were textured and tactile.  The walls and ceilings are covered in a soft cream-colored micro cement, while solid walnut paneling and doors add a layer of warmth to the space. 

A main and rare feature of the apartment is the large private garden that opens up into the interior space through numerous custom doors, casting a soft and warm light into the interior.  The garden is contemporary and minimalistic, and serves as a breath of airy contrast to the saturated city surrounding the residence.

The main living and dining space features a bold hand-laid oversized terrazzo flooring with stones of varying neutrals and blues. Behind the dining table, a monumental display wall in Brazilian pinta verde blue marble creates a bright and fresh focal point for the otherwise neutral space. The living area is furnished with a range of sofas and armchairs to create an informal sitting area.  Many of the fixtures and pieces in the main room, including the hanging lamp above the coffee table and the large asymmetrical mirror, were all uniquely designed and made as one-off pieces for the apartment.  A collection of bespoke stone and ceramic vessels were also designed specifically for the space, produced in collaboration with New York-based ceramic artist, Joseph Algieri; while the oversized photography print that hangs on the living room wall was made in collaboration with the Finnish stylist Piia Emilia and Photographer Aleksi Tikkala.

The two bedrooms feature solid walnut wainscoting and bespoke wall-art created in collaboration with Moofoo, a Taiwan-based artist/carpenter.  In the master bedroom’s ensuite bathroom, a sculptural monolithic bathtub sits in the corner, carved out of a single piece of marble. Both bedrooms lead directly into the large private garden, a true rare commodity in a city like Shanghai.

Yatofu’s transformation of the apartment is an ode to the art of living and echoes the client’s appreciating of custom and bespoke creations.  The subtle yet sophisticated foundation of the interior itself offers endless possibilities for site-specific artworks and unique furnishings, celebrating both craftmanship and the expression of individuality.

Team: Angela Lindahl, Yihan Xiang, Sheen Tao
Interior: Yatofu Creatives
Garden Landscaping: Zhou Xu, Xie Junqing