The floor of the dining room becomes a worktop for the kitchen inside this Tokyo house by Japanese studio Urban Architecture Office (UAo).
With concrete walls both inside and out, the three-storey house has a staggered ground floor, which creates the recessed lower level.
Every doorway, window and opening in the house is arched, while four staircases connect rooms with two separate roof terraces.
On the first floor, a wide corridor doubles up as an office workspace and separates a bedroom from the triangular balcony opposite.
The uppermost staircase climbs one of the exterior walls to connect the second floor with the larger terrace, located on the top of the building.
The plan of the house is also split into three overlapping blocks, which are arrayed to face five little gardens.
This is the first project we've featured by UAo, but you can see more houses in Japan by other architects here.
Here's some more information from UAo:
ABE house
Dwelling as a Journey
Summary
This building's site is a sectionalized residential district close to Tokyo.
On each surrounding site, there is a court yard in front of the house, and almost the houses are built in a similar layout.
In contrast, we treated the site as a garden and arranged our proposal thinking about how to make the garden comfortable.
Thus, this house was created by connecting three types of volumes of different angle. From this a new life style "house into a garden" can begin.
Concept
To arrange many gardens on this site, the form of this house is created by connecting three types of volumes.
The garden constantly connects inside, creating a lifestyle inside the house close to the garden.
Rounded openings softly separate spaces from where one stands and the spaces of different levels connect personal spaces to each other.
Walking around various personal spaces of this house becomes like a "journey."
Location: Tama-shi, Tokyo
Architects: UAo
Structural engineers: Kanebako Structural Engineers
General constructors: Hanabusa Construction
Site area: 109.83 sq m
Building area: 43.81 sq m
Total floor area: 87.8 sq m
Structure: steel frame; 3 storeys
Principal use: private residence
Construction period: December, 2011
It's very odd, in the best possible way. It's rare to see Japanese architects successfully find a way to mediate between the potential of individuality of architecture without offending the prominent aesthetic of minimalist whiteness that dominates Japanese residential work. I commend their efforts.
looks almost like a church.
sacral living in tokyo.
The light at the end of the tunnel[bathroom] is delightful.
Absolutely beautiful. I would love to see this space once it is lived in.
Kinda reminds me of something by Maurits Escher . . . . .
Its not a very welcoming space.needs adult proofing let alone baby proofing. Sharp corners everywhere.
I completely agree with Jackie, the spaces are beautiful and will hopefully age and fill out beautifully once the signs of life and time have established themselves.
So no money left for furniture? This house looks pretty cold and bleak to me.
Is it only me or does having a floor turn into a kitchen worktop seem a little like you will forever be clearing dust / dirt from the counter, or having really dirty food preparation area? Lovely aesthetics but a little impractical in places.
Home = Artspace or Home = Living space?