Sliding Partitions: Conditional Domestic Space in East and Southeast Asia

A new article by Jonathan Yeung, published on ArchDaily on August 6, 2026, explores the role of sliding partitions in contemporary domestic architecture, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. The piece argues that sliding doors are often analyzed for their efficiency, as they eliminate the swing radius of conventional doors, aiding compact rooms and saving space in small apartments. However, Yeung contends that their most intriguing function goes beyond spatial economy. Sliding partitions transform the perception of a room itself: a bedroom, study, guest room, dining room, or workspace can appear when a panel is closed, disappear when opened, and remain ambiguous when the boundary is translucent or partial. This makes them especially useful in domestic contexts defined by density, changing family structures, hybrid work, and climate adaptation typical of regions like East and Southeast Asia. Unlike fixed walls, they do not impose a single identity on a room; instead, they allow domestic space to respond to the passage of time—day and night, visits and family, work and rest, exposure and refuge. The article is accompanied by an image of a renovated apartment in Sakurazaka by ICADA + Masaaki Iwamoto Laboratory, photographed by YASHIRO PHOTO OFFICE.