NID

Tokyo, Japan

Photo © Masao Nishikawa

Single Houses

Architects: APOLLO / Satoshi Kurosaki

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Year: 2011

The site is a small subdivision in central Tokyo. The narrow frontage and long depth of the "eel bed" is a familiar site shape in Tokyo. In this project, a skip floor was adopted as a method to realize a compact yet rich space while securing a parking space for one car. Through the distinctive stairwell, the spaces from the first basement floor to the third floor above ground are gently connected, creating a unique sense of unity through the close relationship between the spaces connected by the stairs. The use of white to unify the entire space creates a sense of abstraction, and the compact yet generous scale of the space can be said to be a common technique used in small houses. Soft light pours down from the high sidelight at the top of the spiral staircase that runs through the center of the space, filling every corner of the interior space. The small house offers a view of the city as if one were strolling through the urban space spreading vertically.