Live-in gallery and studio by Flat House hides utility rooms in a central cylinder
A curvy structure forms the heart of this small Tokyo home and workspace by Japanese studio Flat House, separating a cafe, gallery and art studio from the residents' domestic activities (+ slideshow).
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_1.jpg)
Flat House designed the building – named Oeuf after the egg-shaped plan of the central structure – as a live-in art gallery and cafe for a young couple near Nogawa Park in Musashino, western Tokyo.
The 80-square-metre space contains a cafe, art studio and double-height gallery on the public ground floor, and a bedroom, bathroom and terrace on the private upper floor.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_9.jpg)
"[The clients] felt that they didn't just need a dwelling for two people, but also a place for the community. They dreamed of having a building like a small art museum," said the architects.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_2.jpg)
"It was important to provide a space with as much flexibility as possible, so that the first floor could fulfil a variety of roles," they added.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_3.jpg)
The oval-shaped volume sits at the centre of a square plan. It houses a toilet and a kitchen, but also forms an informal partition between the three ground-floor rooms.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_5.jpg)
"The oval is slightly distorted due to the amount of space necessary for the kitchen and toilet, as well as being slightly shifted from the centre," said the architects.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_4.jpg)
The semi-circular bathroom features a wooden sink surround and metal fixtures. It is painted in a vibrant shade of turquoise, contrasting with the concrete flooring and white walls elsewhere in the building.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_8.jpg)
A set of glazed doors slide back from a timber terrace to create an entrance and outdoor seat area for the cafe, while concrete steps lead to a more private doorway for residents on the west-facing facade.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_6.jpg)
The cafe and gallery areas are filled with simple wooden furniture. A hatch through to the kitchen operates as a serving area, while the studio is slotted underneath a timber staircase.
Shelves in the wall facing the studio can be used to store reference books and art equipment.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_7.jpg)
"With this distorted oval, the gallery and the cafe are loosely divided, building a relationship which stimulates each space. At the same time, the studio is located in a private relaxing space away from the other areas," said the architects.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_10.jpg)
The flight of pale wooden stairs gives access to the upper floor bedroom and en-suite bathroom, which occupy a space half the size of the lower floor.
A door in the bedroom wall opens onto a semi-circular indoor balcony on top of the bathroom and kitchen island, allowing the couple to monitor comings and goings.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_0.jpg)
"The first floor's atrium can be seen from the inner balcony on the second floor, so any visitors coming from the park can be welcomed without delay," said the architects.
A set of doors by the upstairs bathroom lead out onto a private open-air roof terrace.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_468_11.jpg)
"It will be interesting to see how the "Little Art Museum", which sits quietly in front of Nogawa Park, develops over time," added the team.
Photography is by Takumi Ota.
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_2.gif)
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_3.gif)
![Oeuf by Flat House](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/11/Oeuf-by-Flat-House_dezeen_1.gif)