This Shanghai lane house – long of site, short of daylight – began as little more than a stack of enclosed boxes. RIGI Design completely remapped the interior plan, tearing out a dark, narrow staircase relegated to one corner and replacing it with a central open stair that wanders across all three levels and acts as a well to channel daylight throughout the building. But it’s the details that make A White House so exquisite: The white-painted, perforated-steel stair treads are ethereally light, the playful pitched roof and circular motifs add whimsy to door frames and windows and custom modular shelving adapts to the family’s evolving needs.

Project: A White House Location: Shanghai, China Firm: RIGI Design, China

Team: Kai Liu with Junyi Yang