wei yi design creates a family home of monochrome + marble in nanjing, china

wei yi international design associates has created a brilliantly white two-storey home for a young family in nanjing, china. the house, called ‘purified residence’, features abundant use of white carrara marble from italy and a thoroughly monochrome interior palette.

the residence’s restricted color spectrum was a decision by wei yi design intended to offer a blank canvas for the creation of memories. ‘people may have a special bond with part of the memories about the past life,’ explain the studio. ‘focusing on people’s feelings, continuing the past life experience as well as creating a new life experience for the client is the most interesting and important core for this project. in this project, white is the most important memory factor.’

the functional spaces and aesthetic identity of the home is articulated through the use of a series of white boxes, a decision the studio hopes will rid the house of traditional and rigorous geometrical shapes and create a feeling of leisure. in the living space, a central ‘box’ volume divides the area into a living room, dining area, kitchen, lounge and reading room. the supportive ‘box’ acts as a central core, with graphic word art reflecting the conceptual values of the home. a white kitchen island, white cabinetry and pure white walls are accented with warmer ornamentations such as wall mounted antlers and faux hide rugs intended to create a warm but wintery feel. a large window wall allows light deep into the space, and corresponds with the courtyard outside.

on the second floor, a children’s play area is brightened up with hints of lime green as well as irregularly shaped cushions to inject a playful atmosphere into the houses restrained backdrop. on the third floor is the master bedroom, at the center of which another box-like volume houses the main bathroom, dividing the bedroom into sleeping and changing areas. a slight green tinge marks this room as apart from the other, and lends a more hospitable hue to the space.

shard-shaped white bannisters guard the stairwell back to down to the basement, and are overlooked by branch like chandeliers which connect each floor of the building. the basement is imagined as the main reception area of the house, and its entrance is marked by a characterfully vibrant owl figure — an spectrum of color marking the charming bird as the houses’ mascot. the tonality of the house transforms here into grey and black, smooth wooden furniture and brushed copper lamps overhead generate a warmer atmosphere, acting as an anchor of stability for the house overhead.

the house is at its most dramatic from the outside where a shard shaped façade strikes a theatrical stance. the grey concrete envelope reflects the restraint of color evident throughout, but adds a bit of flair to the house whose sunlit courtyard is home to a single potted tree.