The huge tiled roof that wraps around this Tokyo house integrates arched windows and openings for tree branches.
Designed by Japanese architects ON design, the house conceals two of its three storeys behind the overhanging roof, which also shelters a stretch of land around the building's perimeter.
There are no windows on the low-ceilinged middle floor, as it is only used for storage.
The only bedroom is located on the ground level, while living rooms occupy the top floor.
ON design also more recently completed a house split into two halves - take a look here.
Photography is by Koichi Torimura.
Here's some more information from the architects:
“House with Eaves and an Attic”
This is a house located in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.
The characteristic of this area is the hilly landscape. The site is located on the top of the hill and half of the site is a cliff.
There were many trees remained untouched on the cliff.
The clients request was to remain the trees to take over the memory of the site and to take into consider the sites from the mid rise building closely packed at the base of the cliff.
So we decided to set the house on the flat part of the site which is approximately 4.5m×16m foot print. By building a big roof with almost the same inclination of the site we tried to control the sight. The space under the eaves protects the house from sights and lead ones eyes to the cliff.
Small trees are taken into the interior by the eave and tall trees go through the halls of the roof.
The inclining roof creates an attic like space on the second floor.
The window on the roof shuts out sights from outside but gives a view of the trees. In the middle floor we did not create any windows and made it into a large storage space.
The roof, which is like an extent of the cliff, gives uniqueness to the house.
Data
Site: Tokyo,Japan
Structure: Wood
Total floor: 2 floors
Site area: 182.25㎡
Building area: 58.18㎡
Total floor area: 84.84㎡
Architect: On design Partners
Osamu Nishida+Takanori Ineyama+Rie Yanai
Structural engineers: Structured Environment