Narrative

Internode is designed for Daniel Johnston, a contemporary visual artist in his mid-30, the townhouse is a venue for his home, work, social life, and what is in-between. The staircase is the internode that connects his traveling path between three primary nodes, like in a stem structure of a plant. The first node in the building is public: where it is determined by the materiality of the carved stone steps that reflects an outdoor encounter. The second node is social: an entertaining area where gathering takes place, at this junction the staircase becomes an auditorium seating where Mr. Johnston utilizes his double-height gallery space as a platform to perform live and give out presentations about his artistic canon and ideas. Eventually, the last node is private: where the kitchen and the bathroom are. The staircase, the kitchen, and the bathroom are connected by a partition wall that carries the same language of verticality and transparency of the staircase. The wall creates a seamless transition from the stair hallway into both destinations. Both the kitchen cabinetry and the bathroom vanity are integral parts of the wall, which makes the wall works like an apparatus that changes functions within the space according to the needs of the occupant.