Home tour: The minimalist Taipei home of Taiwanese art collector Pierre Chen

Designed by Studio Liaigre, this graceful apartment in Taipei perfectly showcases Yageo Group president Pierre Chen’s remarkable art collection within a poetic space that offers a nod to cloistered courtyards in Europe

Having crafted and furnished the interiors of an impressive array of beautiful abodes and yachts around the world, the French design maestro Christian Liaigre had long been a sought-after name by celebrity clients and the jet-set. Founded in 1985, the namesake brand Liaigre continues to be a leading name in the design realm, coveted by tastemakers around the world. The late designer, who passed away in 2020, handed the creative reins of the company to his trusted colleague and collaborator Frauke Meyer in 2016; Meyer now leads the design team as the brand’s creative director, while her colleague Guillaume Rolland heads the yacht design division at the company.

Pierre Chen, the billionaire homeowner of this Taipei apartment and president of electronics giant Yageo Group, was already well-acquainted with Liaigre prior to the renovation of his home. The notable Taiwanese entrepreneur and prominent art collector is both a long-time client and close friend of the late French designer. Over the years, Chen has been appointing Studio Liaigre—the interior design arm of the French firm—to design the interiors of several projects. Naturally, the brand was the first name to come to mind for his latest renovation.

Chen recently decided to combine two adjacent units to form this spacious 12,116 sq ft property, which looks out to magnificent views of the Yangmingshan mountain range beyond. He then tasked Studio Liaigre to turn it into a personalised sanctuary as well as a space that would beautifully showcase his extensive art collection.

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Above Frauke Meyer, creative director of Studio Liaigre

Above Every element of the home has been carefully considered to enhance the works and furnishings featured, and to provide a conducive environment for art appreciation

Art certainly is the key driver for the considered design of this abode, especially for the owner and mega collector, who counts pieces by blue-chip names the likes of Francis Bacon, Mark Rothko, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dali, among the highlights of his treasured assemblage. Chen was thus heavily involved in the curation and placement of art throughout his home, selected from his extensive collection with care and purpose for each area of the apartment.

“The overall idea for this place is to live with art,” shares Meyer, commenting on the brief given by the owner. “It is an apartment meant to host, both formal parties and friendly ones. It is also a place of exhibition for a part of the owner’s art collection. We had to find a way to make the apartment interesting, within the constraints of [the location of] its main staircase and lift which stands in the centre of the level.”

The simple material and colour scheme selected for the abode is deliberately understated to keep the focus on these prized paintings and photographs. “The colour scheme is natural, with a lot of white. We had to ensure that materials and colours would not take [away the attention from] the art pieces,” adds Meyer.

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Above The effect feels almost monastic and quite poetic, framing the spaces and views beyond in intriguing ways while positing various means of showcasing the art collection in the home

Above A view of one of the living rooms, where a generously-sized custom sofa is one of many gathering hubs within the apartment

Above The cloister design of the hallway is reminiscent of the covered walkways that run along the enclosed gardens of cathedrals and monasteries

Above The columns frame the varied entertaining spaces of the home in interesting ways

The team was able to start on almost a blank slate for this apartment, which is located in downtown Taipei. While the usual white-box gallery concept may come to mind for an art-inspired home, the designers were clear that they wanted to do more than that to create a space that truly feels like a sanctuary for its discerning owner.

To impart a sense of soul and character to the apartment, the design team came up with the idea to create a hallway with columns that would echo the look of the beautiful cloistered gardens seen in medieval buildings in European cities. These architectural elements are not only a tasteful nod to classical architecture from the 18th century; these arched portals also bring sufficient daylight into the apartment, transforming it into an airy and bright space while creating some interesting shadow play throughout the day.

Window louvres offer light control, a key criterion for an abode filled with priceless works of art. These help diffuse the daylight that enters the apartment on sunny days and imbue the home with a soft glow that creates a cosy and inviting atmosphere.

Above A view of a dining area within the home

The altogether profound effect of the space feels almost akin to being in the courtyard of a cathedral, where you would admiring not only glimpses of the natural scenery—in this case, the mountains—in the distance but also the intriguing mix of museum-quality work displayed in the hallway and various areas of the home.

“The idea to treat the hallway as a cloister came naturally as the corridor was not meant to stay without natural light. These semi-open spaces bring light inside and create fluidity between the different rooms and areas of the apartment. The hallway creates also a gallery where some artworks from the owner’s collection are exhibited,” shares Meyer.

Above The understated material palette conveys the elegance of the Liaigre brand ethos, all while creating a tasteful environment befitting the home of an esteemed art collector

Above The window louvres creating shadow play in the home throughout the day, while diffusing the glare of the midday sun

To meet the high level of quality and detailed craftsmanship expected by both the owner and the design team, all of the wood panellings and other interior architectural elements were custom-made and constructed in Germany to match the exact dimensions needed, and then shipped to Taipei. It is easy to see why the designer considers the cloistered structure both the most challenging and rewarding part of the project.

Such interior architectural elements are paired with a graceful selection of Liaigre furnishings with dark wood structures and paired with leather and fabric in black or off-white tones. These include a curved velvet sofa and a matching rug in deep blue tones, which are paired with black lacquered finishes on the coffee tables and consoles to bring an elegant sheen to the interior design.

Above The kitchen and bar is made for teppanyaki-style meals to be enjoyed over a cosy meal between Chen and his guests

Meyer continues: “Each element has been well thought out: the living rooms are wide and open to facilitate movement, and the custom made of Liaigre Collection furniture [have] generous proportions, and are synonymous with elegance and comfort. The warm wooden columns naturally frame the works of art and create a contrast with the white elements in the living rooms.”

The rest of the apartment continues the understated look evident in the hallway and the multiple living areas of the abode, catering to the life of a bon vivant. A graceful bar area presents the perfect place for Chen and his guests to unwind. It is also designed to cater to teppanyaki-style cooking, which Chen favours, where a visiting chef would whip up delicious grilled meals for him and his guests.

Above The screens create a peekaboo effect within the guest rooms. Robert Mapplethorpe's iconic portrait of Andy Warhol catches the eye in this nook

Above A study nook presents another spot for reading and contemplation

Above Gerhard Richter's Aunt Marianne, displayed in an area of the home

Above The Pablo Picasso painting, Dora Maar en Femme-oiseau, is seen here above a pair of armchairs

The five bedrooms in this apartment continue the handsome use of light wood seen in the social zone, with smaller and more intimate works displayed in these spaces to amplify the cocooning atmosphere. The concept here, is that of a cabinet of curiosities, with an intriguing mix of art and fine details to be discovered in every nook. Each guest room is also designed to be distinct from one another, with mesh screens creating almost a game of hide-and-seek, separating these from the public-facing areas of the abode.

The entire design, construction, and furnishing process took just under three years, with the beautiful outcome met with much delight from the client as well as the design team. “The whole identity of the apartment was both a challenge and a joy [to design],” sums Meyer. “The most satisfying feedback we had from the client after he had moved in, is to know that he enjoys his home as he intended to originally: to use this apartment as a social place to entertain his many friends, and share with them his taste for art.”

Above The bathroom bears the two-tone design that is one of the distinguishing design elements of Liaigre. Displayed here is a cubist painting, Portrait of Juliet, by Man Ray

Above Another view of the bathroom

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Credits

Photography

Kyle Yu Photo Studio, Courtesy of Liaigre

Topics

Pierre Chen Yageo Home design Taiwanese billionaire Art collector Christian Liaigre French furniture brand Designer furniture Home renovation Frauke Meyer Pablo Picasso Mark Rothko Asia's most influential

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Home Tour: The minimalist Taipei home of art collector Pierre Chen