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The idea for Five-Storey House began as a response to the emotional monotony and spatial rigidity of suburban row houses in northern China. Rather than demolish, we sought to unlock latent potential by transforming a formulaic structure into one of spatial flexibility and emotional richness. The concept evolved through removing the central stair and inserting three unique sculptural staircases—each distinct in form and rhythm—to activate new modes of perception, and interaction. The design engages the full body through light, material, and circulation. Within sameness, we found space for poetry, making the house not just a container for living but an engine of life.
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Five-Storey House is located on the outskirts of Beijing, in a vast suburban development dominated by uniform row houses. This regularity creates a psychological disconnection from site and nature. Rather than treat the house as an isolated object, the project seeks to reweave architecture and landscape. A bent glass wall draws the courtyard into the dining space, while its views and light reach the basement studio. A new spiral stair leads to the top floor, offering expansive views of the plain and situating the home within a broader context. Inside, framed windows contrast urban and natural views, reflecting the layered identity of Beijing’s peri-urban edge. The landscape here is not decorative—it becomes part of the home's daily rhythm.
Rather than demolish, we preserved the structural frame, minimizing waste and embodied carbon. The project prioritizes local materials. The original underground lighting was polarized: one area overheated under a glass roof; another lacked daylight. A folded ceiling, supported by a light steel structure, reshaped light flow and reduced artificial lighting and cooling needs—improving thermal inertia while keeping structural load low. New vertical circulation connects all five floors, enhancing natural ventilation. Although it has not applied for formal certification, the project reflects a deep commitment to ecological design from concept to construction.
Five-Storey House reimagines a standard suburban row house through precise spatial interventions that transform rigidity into richness. Rather than demolish, the project works within the constraints of the existing five-story structure, turning repetitive layout into an opportunity for reinvention. The defining gesture is the introduction of three sculptural staircases, each with its own form, rhythm, and materiality. These replace the original stair core and create a vertical choreography that redefines how the home is moved through, seen, and felt. Material and light are key strengths: green marble–clad structural columns anchor each floor; folded geometries draw daylight into the basement; and frameless windows on the top floor frame contrasting views of city and nature. the design prioritizes sensory experience over image. The result is a home that is immersive, tactile, and emotionally alive.
As a film producer, I think in sequences—and this house lives like one. Each floor has its own mood, its own rhythm, yet they’re part of a coherent narrative. The staircases feel like edits between scenes: unexpected but purposeful. Light, texture, silence—everything is composed with intention. It’s not just a house, it’s a story that unfolds every day. Living here makes you more aware, more present. It slows you down in the best way.
STUDIO FSJ was founded in 2019 Beijing China. With works fueled by extensive academic research and spatial innovation, the studio seeks to capture its unique specificity and uncover the maximum spatial potential through the most personal expression.
Recent works by STUDIOFSJ include various dwellings and constructions embedded in different texture of big city Beijing: Mountain Dwelling, Five-Storey House, Village Park and so on. And a wide range of on-going projects including Viewing Platforms in Tibet, Community Centre in Zhejiang and a number of micro-infrastructure interventions in Beijing suburbs feature studio’s continues engagement with interdisciplinary approaches.
Many honors have been awarded to STUDIO FSJ, including Wallpaper Design Awards, AD 100 YOUNG Awards and Rural Futures Award.
