Periscope House / Kuno + Aida

Architects: Kuno + Aida
Location: Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Architect In Charge: Toshimitsu Kuno, Tomoro Aida
Design Team: Toshimitsu Kuno, Tomoro Aida, Yuki Nokura, Kazuki Watanabe, Satoshi Suzuki, Toshiharu Terashima
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Tatsuya Noaki

Project Area: 114.0 sqm
Structural Engineer: Takeyuki Gaino
First Floor Area: 52.30 sqm
Second Floor Area: 56.54 sqm

A single-family residence located in a typical residential area, where two-story wooden houses are densely built. In order to obtain fine living environment while giving a minimum impact on the surroundings, we proposed a plan in which three volumes of the bedroom with the opening turned for the south are pulling out from the roof level as if they were a set of periscopes.

In this way, the house not only acquires a great deal of sunlight and good views within a dense urban milieu, but also a generous common space that connects the first and the second floor together.

Each interior space is gently articulated by the different floor level, allowing various and creative spatial usages.