House in Nishiochia is a bright and minimalist concrete family home that has been designed by Suppose Design Office, situated in Nishiochiai, Tokyo, Japan. Completed in 2014, the owner wanted to enjoy a house with beautiful light and rich spatial meanings. The house also needed to balance tranquility and warmth. For this, the design team proposed a new style of the Japanese small residence of only 1,022 square (95 square meters) in the context of the big city.

Usually, stairs and corridor spaces are seen as auxiliary space. In the case of this house the stairs extends into the rooms and creates a fuzzy space without defined borders. These auxiliary space becomes integral to the design and manifest as thresholds which the owner can make meaning of the spaces as they inhabit.

The spiral room and the large atrium void creates a stack effect for natural ventilation. Openings and canopies are placed sparingly to create just enough light into the space, such that the result is a cozy interior with a dramatic tranquility.

Photos: Courtesy of Suppose Design Office