Light House in Amsterdam is a home that redefines the way we experience space. Designed by architects from the Studioninedots studio, it was created in response to a request from a couple with two children who dreamed of a place that fostered closeness – both within the family and in relation to the surroundings. The architects were given almost complete creative freedom, and the result is a building that functions as a vertical landscape of light, air and shifting perspectives.
The house stands on Centrumeiland – a new district of Amsterdam, where individual building and a sustainable approach to architecture are integral to the local character. Light House stands out for its composition, reminiscent of an arrangement of seemingly randomly placed boxes. Each one accommodates a different activity: cooking, spending time together, resting, working or meeting friends. Instead of concentrating family life on the ground floor, the architects spread it across multiple levels, creating a structure that can be lived in not only inside, but also on its surfaces and in between them.
Architecture built from boxes
As they move through the house, the residents experience the changing relationships between spaces. There are cosy alcoves ideal for work or rest, as well as tall, light-filled voids that enhance contact with the surroundings. Just above the kitchen (the heart of the home) hovers a secluded volume suspended within the structure. This is a private relaxation zone, designed for reading, yoga, watching films or simply a moment of solitude.
New ways of using the home
The lower part of the building is screened by a wall of square glass blocks. These allow diffused light to pass through whilst blurring the sharpness of the view from outside. As a result, the lives of the household are visible from the street only as abstract outlines, striking a balance between openness and a sense of privacy. The square motif also recurs in the steel elements on the garden façade, giving the building a cohesive, distinctive character.
On the top floor, the architects have created a space described as a ‘holiday home’ – a high-ceilinged room with arched windows reaching to the ceiling, opening onto a terrace overlooking Lake IJmeer. It is a place for gatherings, celebrations and shared relaxation. The entire structure has been designed to evolve with the family: the individual ‘boxes’ can be reinterpreted, transformed and used in new ways.
A house that grows with the family
Light House is built using a lightweight steel frame filled with prefabricated timber elements. This modular system promotes flexibility, easy dismantling and long-term sustainable use. The house manages water on its own plot, aligning with the island’s ecological ambitions.
The result is architecture that inspires us to rediscover space. Light House combines moments of intensity and tranquillity, openness and shelter, creating a home that is both surprising and deeply attuned to its inhabitants. It is a place that constantly invites interaction – with loved ones, with the surroundings and with the space itself. In this way, a house has been built that we most often associate with the landscape of Japanese cities.
design: Studioninedots
photography: Sebastian van Damme
Read also: Netherlands | Amsterdam | Detached house | Modernism | Recommended | whiteMAD on Instagram
