In a quiet residential pocket of Tokyo, where neighboring houses and apartment buildings press close on either side, Architecture firm Nendo has created a minimalist home that quietly rethinks how a family lives together.
At first glance, it appears restrained and compact. But look closer and you will see the idea that defines it. The stairs do not simply sit inside the house. They begin outside and travel inward, threading the garden and the rooms into one continuous experience.
A Home Designed for Two Families
Designed as a home for two families, the layout is carefully divided yet thoughtfully connected. The lower level belongs to an older couple, allowing them to live comfortably without the daily strain of climbing stairs. Above them, on the second and third floors, a younger couple and their child have their own living quarters.
The building volume was pushed to the north side of the site, opening up the southern edge to daylight, ventilation and greenery. A large glass front facade draws the yard into the living spaces, making the compact urban plot feel unexpectedly open. The layout also made it possible to preserve an existing persimmon tree cherished by previous generations, anchoring the home in memory as well as in place.
The Stairway That Starts in the Garden
The defining feature of the house is the stairway structure that begins in the south yard. Rather than hiding circulation inside, the architects turned it into an architectural event.
The stairs are designed to be enjoyed outdoors before continuing upward into the building itself, passing through each floor. Access between the exterior and interior is handled by a sliding door, allowing the boundary between garden and home to dissolve with a simple movement.
From above, the staircase reads almost like a sculptural line cutting diagonally through the site, linking ground to roof in one continuous gesture.
A Greenhouse for People and Eight Curious Cats
Inside the stairway structure, practical elements are neatly enclosed. Bathrooms and the main functional staircase are tucked within, ensuring the home works efficiently for everyday life.
Around them, however, the steps take on an entirely different character. The upper portion resembles a semi outdoor greenhouse filled with abundant greenery. Sunlight filters down from above, creating warm perches where the older couple’s eight cats can climb, lounge and watch the world beyond.
Drawing the Eye Toward the Sky
As the stairs rise toward the top of the home, each step gradually becomes smaller. The subtle shift pulls the eye upward, guiding attention to the skylight above.
This vertical movement visually links the road to the south at ground level with the open sky overhead. Light enters through the toplight, travelling down the stairway and into the living spaces below.
The result is a diagonal thread of greenery, daylight and gentle movement that allows three generations to sense each other’s presence without sacrificing independence.
A House That Connects More Than Floors
What makes this project quietly remarkable is its ambition. The stairway does not simply connect interior rooms. It links garden to house, older generation to younger, ground to sky and even the street to the private world within.
In a dense Tokyo neighbourhood, where space is limited and privacy is precious, this home shows how a single architectural gesture can hold a family together. By turning a simple staircase into its most striking feature, Nendo has created a house that feels open, connected and full of life.