Built on a compact plot tucked inside a 4–5 meter-wide alley in South Jakarta, AD House began with a simple brief: many rooms, limited land. The response was vertical — a three-story home composed of stacked, boxy volumes, prioritizing clarity over excess.

Setbacks and solid planes define privacy at street level, while the upper floors open up gradually. At the top, an outdoor area faces the street — a small pause in the vertical climb, allowing light, air, and distance from the density below.

A small ground-floor garden extends views from the living and dining areas. Glass blocks brighten the interiors while serving as an architectural feature. A double-height reading room on the second floor connects visually with the study on the third floor, fostering interaction across levels.

One of the main challenges in designing AD House was bringing natural light into a relatively compact plot. The perforated stair and corridor system became one of the key strategies to address this.

A linear skylight above the staircase introduces sunlight along the side of the house. Perforated metal panels on the stairs and second- and third-floor corridors allow light to filter down into the lower levels. The result is a home shaped by layers of soft, shifting light.

Beyond illumination, the use of lightweight materials creates a distinct spatial experience, transforming everyday circulation into a moment of architectural pause.
 

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