Named Neut, the house was designed for a pair of music-lovers, so Apollo Architects & Associates was asked to add a studio with soundproofed concrete walls in the basement of the three-storey structure.

The studio opens out to a glazed triple-height courtyard, which benefits from the light filtering in from above.

A second courtyard is located on the opposite side of the house on the ground floor. This space also sits below a skylight, although it is interrupted by a latticed deck on the uppermost floor.

All bedrooms are positioned on the ground floor, while a living room and bathroom occupy the top floor. All of these rooms face down onto the courtyards through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Interior surfaces are finished in a mixture of raw concrete, white plaster and timber panels. Meanwhile, the facade is dominated by timber louvres, which enclose a cantilevered balcony at the edge of the living room.

Tokyo-based Apollo Architects & Associates is led by Satoshi Kurosaki. The studio also recently completed Still, a concrete house for a surgeon, and Flag, a narrow house with a glazed ground-floor gallery.

See more architecture by Apollo Architects & Associates »

Photography is by Masao Nishikawa.

Here's a project description from Apollo Architects & Associates:

Neut, Suginami ward, Tokyo

The ophthalmologist couple purchased this narrow, but deep, parcel of land in a quiet neighborhood to build a house where they could enjoy their hobby of listening to the music.

On the basement level, the courtyard and double-pane glazing provide sound-buffer for this RC-structure studio which is insulated on the exterior.

Natural light enters the studio through the courtyard and makes the space exceptionally inhabitable as a basement.

The balcony extends from the building and acts as the canopy over the garage with pilotis and entrance.

The horizontal wooden slats are used as balcony balustrade to block the view from the street while allowing the air to breeze through.

The randomly sized wooden pieces give the facade distinctive appearance. The ground floor contains private rooms such as master bedroom and children's bedrooms.

The second floor, on the other hand, is intended as family room. The generously-sized gabled-roof space has two courtyards which accentuate the floor plan with their curves.

Through the clerestory windows, the outside scenery and natural light enter the space.

The wet area is separated from the living room by the tiled wall with its upper part glazed. The same wooden panel of the living room ceiling is used in the wet area to create the appearance of a continuous space.

When viewed from inside, the horizontal wooden louver also accentuates the interior space while securing the privacy.

By using only the simple finishing material on the interior, the space has the austere and coordinated feel.

Furthermore, the combination of concrete and wood, as well as the gabled roof motif add warmth to the room's ambience.

This design technique allows the occupants to forget that they are in a dense residential district. It is one of the most popular solutions in the urban setting.

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The three-storey house has a long and slim shape that is common for city residences in Japan, which are often referred to as eel's beds or nests.

Apollo Architects & Associates designed the building with a simple rectangular facade and added the glazed gallery in a prominent position on the left-hand side. The entrance to the house sits to the right and is recessed to create a sheltered porch.

A grid of eight windows stretches across the facade on the upper levels to bring natural light into the two main residential storeys.

On the first floor, a blue-painted partition separates a small study from a traditional Japanese room, while a bathroom is tucked away at the back.

One floor up, a single room spans the building to create a living room with a kitchen at its far end.

The staircase connecting the three floors is made from steel and features open treads that allow light to pass through. It extends up to the roof, which accommodates a small terrace.

Apollo Architects & Associates is led by Satoshi Kurosaki and also recently completed a house with three courtyards behind a concrete exterior. See more architecture by Apollo Architects & Associates.

Other Japanese houses on Dezeen recently include an extension with two tree inside it and a residence with twisted proportions generated using the Fibonacci mathematical sequence. See more houses in Japan.

Photography is by Masao Nishikawa.

Here's some more information from Apollo Architects & Associates:

Flag (Nakano Ward, Tokyo)

The site for this residence is narrow on the side facing the shopping district and long in the other direction, just like an "eel's bed". The facade is composed of large openings arranged in a regular grid.

The couple - a husband who works for an advertisement company and wife who works for a furniture store - is an active DINKS (double-income, no kids) couple.

The first floor is the glazed gallery which opens toward the street. Even though the house is compact, it can generate income when also used as a shop and by including a space for people to gather, it attains a public character. It is an urban residence which can offer a lifestyle of the future.

Location: Nakano ward, Tokyo
Completion: 2013.01

Site area: 45.19 sqm
Building area: 34.59 sqm
1F floor area: 31.09 sqm
2F floor area: 34.59 sqm
3F floor area: 34.59 sqm
PH floor area: 3.95 sqm
Total floor area: 105.03 sqm

Structure: Steel
Scale: 3F
Typology: Private housing + Retail

Structures: Masaki Structures, Kneta Masaki
Facility engineers: Shimada Architects, Zenei Shimada
Construction: Ido Construction

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The residence was designed for a busy street in Yotsukaido City, so Apollo Architects & Associates used chunky slabs of reinforced concrete to create a soundproofed barrier around the interior spaces.

"[The client] requested privacy and quietness for his wife and three children to lead healthy lives," explain the architects.

The largest of the three courtyards sits beyond a sheltered driveway and contains a grass lawn and a central tree, while the second is positioned past the entrance and accommodates a pebble surface and a small maple tree.

The smallest court is tucked away at the back to offer a small outdoor area for the main bedroom and bathroom.

"The family can enjoy different atmospheres in these courtyards," say the architects.

Two staircases lead up to the living room and the children's room on the first floor. One is indoors and built from wood, but the second is a series of concrete treads that rise up from the grassy courtyard.

Wooden balconies overlook the courtyards from above and residents can look into different rooms through glass walls.

The house is named Still and was completed in spring 2012.

Tokyo-based Apollo Architects & Associates is led by Satoshi Kurosaki. The studio has designed a number of houses since launching in 2000, including Lift in Sendai with a pointy overhang and Damier in Tokyo which has a chequered facade. See more houses designed by Apollo Architects & Associates.

Photography is by Masao Nishikawa.

Here's some more information from Apollo Architects & Associates:

Still

The client acquired the 330 m2 orthogonal property located along the road in pursuit of a space to rest his body and soul exhausted from his work as a surgeon. He requested privacy and quietness for his wife and three children to lead healthy lives. The building is set back from the frontal street where heavy vehicles pass by regularly. Parking space is secured for three cars. Reinforced concrete structure is chosen for its soundproofing ability. The opening is kept to a small horizontal ribbon window to block the noise and automobile emissions.

The client purchased this property sized over 300 m2 for a purpose of creating courtyards with tall symbolic trees. There is a compact court with a maple tree in front of the entrance. Across the central corridor is the main court. And, toward the back of the site is a narrow bathroom court. The family can enjoy different atmospheres in these courtyards.

The master bedroom and bathroom are located in the quiet area far from the street so that the residents can relax while viewing the garden. Each space offers its unique ambience. For example, in the study adjacent to the bedroom, the residents are able to carry out their professional work, or in the Japanese room facing the entrance court, they could relax and enjoy the space while sitting on the floor.

The family space on the second floor is a single space surrounded by full-height glazing. Across the central corridor, the children's room/study space is located. The space can be separated into individual rooms in the future. The other characteristic of this house is that the residents can experience the circulation space as they cross between inside and outside, thanks to the central corridor and roof balcony connecting the main building and annex. It is the ultimate luxury to lead a slow-paced life and enjoy the changing seasons.

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Projecting several metres in front of the two-storey house, the extended walls are supported by narrow columns and define the boundaries of a front entrance courtyard.

Narrow vertical windows frame the front door, which leads in towards bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor.

A cantilevered staircase with tapered treads leads up though the centre of the house to a living and dining room that occupies the entire top floor.

Apollo Architects & Associates have designed a number of interesting houses over the last few years - see a selection of them here.

Photography is by Masao Nishikawa.

More information from the architects is provided below:

RING

This project started with the plot which locates at a tranquil residential area in west Tokyo. The client is a high school teacher and his wife.

The first floor with slit windows lays a kids room, a main bedroom and a water area while the 2nd floor resolutely sets a family room with a large opening.

Taking the privacy into consideration, we adopted a court house with entrance attached and the wall encloses the south opening.

To answer to the coverage ratio, we set a grating balcony which functions as a gentle connection of the 1st and 2nd floor and as a stand to appreciate the view of the symbolized tree.

Making maximum use of the compact plot, the masters cherished modern furniture create lively and dynamic space which cannot be imagined from the outside.

Credit Information

Architecture: Satoshi Kurosaki/APOLLO Architects & Associates

Project Outline
Location: Kitayamacho Fuchu city Tokyo

Date of Completion: March 2012
Principal Use: Private House

Structure: RC
Site Area: 104.36m2
Total Floor Area: 88.98m2 (40.99m2/1F, 40.99m2/2F)

Structural Engineer : Kenta Masaki
Mechanical Engineer : Zenei Shimada

Material Information
Exterior Finish: Lath Mortar

Floor: Walnut Flooring & Tile/1F, Walnut Flooring & Tile/2F
Wall: Wall paper
Ceiling: Wall paper

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The top floor of this Tokyo house by Japanese architects Apollo appears to be caving in.

Located on a hillside, the three-storey residence has a large roof terrace and oversized windows that overlook the city.

The angled second floor walls slope around a children’s bedroom, whilst a lightweight metal staircase winds down to a living room and balcony on the floor below.

A master bedroom and two bathrooms occupy the ground floor, alongside a garage for storing and repairing the client’s motorcycle.

Floors throughout the house are surfaced in dark walnut, as are cabinets in the living room and kitchen.

Apollo Architects & Associates have completed a few houses with angled walls - see all our stories about them here.

Photography is by Masao Nishikawa.

Here's some more text from the architects:

Vista (Nishidai Itabashi ward Tokyo)

The clients were a husband-and-wife couple. He works as the director of an advertising agency, while she works in the food business.

The couple purchased a plot of land that faces the cliff of a plateau and commissioned us to build a wooden three-storey residence for themselves and their child.

In order to make the most of the magnificent view overlooking the north side of the plot, we decided to activate the latent potential of the location by installing panoramic windows inside the house that would give the residents an unobstructed view of the scenic surroundings.

The first floor was compactly outfitted with a small, Japanese style straw-matted bedroom, as well as a bathroom and dressing area with an attached terrace.

Each of these spaces commanded a handsome view of the landscape outside.

The second storey was configured as a single, open room with an attached roof balcony.

Bookshelves were also installed on the structural walls, while a table at the edge of the dining area provides a comfortable space for reading, creating a library-like atmosphere.

In addition, we made an effort to emphasize the impression of diving downwards that results from the height difference between the dining room and the living area.

The child's room and a large outdoor living space are located on the third floor, which also offers the residents a full, untrammeled view of the beautiful landscape surrounding the house.

Although the scenery visible from the terraces located on each floor is identical, the varied character of each space ensures that a different impression of this single landscape is created each time.

In addition to a car-sized parking space, the entrance to the house also includes a built-in bike garage for the owner's beloved Ducati motorbike that offers ample room for maintenance and cleaning work to be carried out.

Standing at the foot of the slope and looking up at this sleek, white mass that seems to float on top of the hill, the viewer is struck by this symbolic, monumental presence - an impression that contrasts sharply with the closed appearance presented by the front entrance.

The spatial character of this house, which embodies elements that are both mundane and extraordinary, demonstrates the wealth of possibilities that can be realized in urban residential architecture.

Architecture: Satoshi Kurosaki/APOLLO Architects & AssociatesProject Outline

Location: Nishidai Itabashi ward Tokyo
Date of Completion: 2011.8
Principal Use: Private housing

Structure: Timber structure
Site Area: 54.86㎡
Total Floor Area: 111.78㎡ /1F(42.02㎡),2F(47.41㎡),3F(22.35㎡)
Structure engineers: Masaki Structure Laboratory, Kenta Masaki

Facility engineers: Shimada Architects, Zenei Shimada
Construction: Honma Construction
Material Information
Exterior Finish: hydrotect colorcoat eco-ex

Floor: Walnut Flooring
Wall: Wall paper
Ceiling: Wall paper

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