A poetic meditation on space, Sako House designed by Tomoaki Uno Architects reimagines domesticity through a sculptural spiral stair, crafting a labyrinth of movement, solitude, and ever-shifting light.
Located in Nagoya, Japan, this single-person residence reflects the distilled clarity of a seasoned client—his fifth home, intended as a final sanctuary. The defining gesture is a monumental spiral staircase, occupying half the floor space, not merely as circulation but as an experiential core. This architectural intervention transforms movement into ritual, blurring the boundaries between passage and dwelling, study and solitude.
The interplay of light and materiality further elevates the home's atmospheric complexity. Five distinct skylights modulate daylight throughout the day and across seasons, lending the concrete enclosure a dynamic, almost living quality. Despite its ascetic minimalism, the residence remains deeply attuned to comfort—insulated concrete ensures thermal stability, while the choreography of light and shadow renders the space ever-changing. Sako House is an exercise in reduction that paradoxically expands perception, turning the simple act of ascent into a contemplative journey.
