Hang Chen’s Nestack wins Bronze at A’ Interior Design Awards

Nestack, a 240-square-meter hybrid home office in Jinghong, Yunnan, earned Bronze in the A’ Design Award’s Interior Space and Exhibition Design category on July 20, 2026. The recognition spotlights how compact residential layouts can support both work and home life as hybrid work keeps reshaping interiors.

Why it matters: - Nestack reflects a broader shift in interior design as homes take on more work functions. - The project shows how compact residential spaces can be reorganized to support productivity, collaboration and daily living. - The Bronze A’ Design Award can raise visibility for hybrid home-office concepts that balance function and comfort.

What happened: - The A’ Design Award named Nestack, a hybrid home office designed by Hang Chen, a Bronze winner in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category. - The announcement was dated July 20, 2026. - Nestack is located in Jinghong, Yunnan, in China. - The design competition recognized the project for combining workspace and residential living within a constrained apartment.

The details: - Nestack occupies a 240-square-meter apartment with multiple structural shear walls. - The layout uses layered spatial organization, visual continuity and multifunctional furniture systems. - The design pairs exposed structural elements with warm finishes. - Materials include wood grain porcelain tiles, smoked oak grille panels, grey marble patterned sintered stone, black stone surfaces and preserved moss walls. - Exposed concrete ceilings emphasize structural clarity. - Integrated linear lighting guides circulation through the apartment. - Custom cabinetry helps maximize space while keeping living and working zones open. - The A’ Design Award is presented after a blind peer-review process by an expert jury panel. - Hang Chen developed the spatial concept, material strategy and multifunctional furniture systems for the project. - More information is available on the project page.

Between the lines: - The award points to growing demand for interiors that handle remote and hybrid work without losing residential comfort. - The project frames compact design as a spatial problem-solving exercise, not just an aesthetic one. - The recognition also suggests that material contrast and layout efficiency are becoming central markers of successful small-space design.

What's next: - Nestack may serve as a reference for future hybrid environments that blend domestic and professional use. - The award could encourage more designers to apply behavioral research to compact interiors. - The broader market is likely to keep favoring flexible, multifunctional layouts as working patterns evolve. - Interest in the full project is available through the project page.