Intro

The word Shenghuo can be divided into two parts: to survive and to live. There is no sentimental value when you see them separately. But they hold a profound meaning when you combine them. The life of one person, the life of a group of people and of all other life forms. In my view life is neither a style nor a look, it is like an unfinished diary, carrying the past and the future shared by family members.

The memory of studying aboard, settling down to have family and kids, following the path of parents while creating my own way of life. In this spirit the spiral staircase runs through the floor with a steel plate winding up from the handrail. It feels as light as a piece of paper, shaping the space, not only a moving line but also a sculpture to enhance the space. The combination of white steel plate and warm colored wood stairs allows the level of light and shadow to constantly change, it also brings the light from the second-floor window into the basement, making it bright and comfortable.

The project is located in Suzhou. The original client is the owner’s mother. She has been engaged in business for a long time and hopes to have a closer relationship with her family. Therefore, she purchased two houses next to each other, so the brief requires two different lifestyles for two different generations.

The young owner’s understanding of life comes from the memory of living in Germany, a clean and simple home with an open space. The square structure of the building allows light to enter from three sides, and the basement contains two floors.

To replan the moving lines we moved the stairs in the center of the building. The new staircase is placed at the entrance, connected the dining room and the living room. We changed the façade of the building and added the outdoor dining area to enlarge the open kitchen. This reflects the life experience the owner had in Germany and allows eating outside to enjoy the sunny days.

The second floor is the family area with the living room and bedrooms. We define the different spaces with the wooden ceiling. And we created a contrast to the white stair handrail with colorful furniture, while the yellow curtain enhances the warm comfortable tones in this area.

The basement is a multi-functional space for reading, working, and throwing parties. The staircase winds down to complete the whole structure.