House in Kohoku / Torafu

Sep 2011

Uploaded by Nico Saieh — Filed under: Housing ,Selected , Concrete, Japan, Tokyo, Torafu

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Architects: Torafu
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Design year: 2007
Construction year: 2008
Structure: RC
Building Site: Yokohama Kanagawa
Site Area: 230 sqm
Constructed Area: 67.35 sqm
Photographer: Daici Ano

This site is located in a quiet residential region reclaimed on a hill of Yokohama. With neighboring houses lined very close together, this flag-shaped site meets a road at a verge of no more than 3 meters in width. Since the site is tilted to the north, and the neighboring house to the south is two-storied and built on a higher ground, at first it seemed almost impossible to let in light from the south, although the client, a married couple who has lived in this place for a long time, wanted a small but sunshiny house of one-story just as their child became independent from them.

The roof which looks as if barnacled lets in light through the glass on the top of the tube-shaped windows that are set avoiding shades and eye gaze of the neighbors. On the inside of the house clearly appear the shapes of these tubes,and the arris of a kind of folded plate roof softly separate the whole residential space. The house being one-storied, we were able to form the roof with freedom. And taking advantage of the freedom, we aimed to make the exterior and the interior appear as two sides of the same object.

section A

Although the main living area is no larger than approximately 7.5 x 7.5 meters, we tried to give appropriate distance among the scenes of food, clothing and housing by moderately separating every space along the arris of the ceiling and by making the most of the height of the ceiling itself. High arris connect neighboring spaces, and low arris separate them into, for instance, a living room and a bedroom. Infixed at the space where the ceiling is highest is a wooden mass. Inside the mass are a kitchen, bathroom and sanitation facilities, while the top of the mass is used as a designing office for their son. The top of the mass, which is a lot like a loft, and other spaces are visually separated but family members presence can be felt when they are there.

We decided that we used reinforced concrete, and we sought to use it most reasonably. By giving the roof a kind of folded plate roof structure, we were able to fulfill the pillar-less interior space. As opposed to the concrete substrate surface of the exterior, the walls and the ceiling are painted white and given a bright and homogenous finish. The floor and the built-in furniture are made of medium-density fiberboard and given a paint finish. In stark contrast to the white walls and ceiling, the furniture exists as if it has grown from the floor.

ground plan

second floor plan

The roof not only lets in light and provides cover from rain but, on the inside, gives the space a moderate separation. The brightness and softness of light differs according to season and time of day, which changes the look of the place. The windows on the roof cut out the sky and constantly project the changes of the nature.

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: © Daici Ano

: ground plan

: second floor plan

: west elevation

: east elevation

: north elevation

: south elevation

: section A

: section B

Cite:
Saieh , Nico . "House in Kohoku / Torafu" 22 Sep 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 04 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/6893>

Comments (29)
Tweets (12)
Links to this entry (11)

Calvin says:

interior is disappointing

# October 1, 2008 at 20:58

David Basulto says:

Calvin,

Really? I find them very interesting. I love how light falls from the chimneys.

# October 1, 2008 at 21:19

Scledon says:

Interesting Building. But the interior designer needs to find a new job.

# October 1, 2008 at 21:54

i agree, but the lights seem like more of a design element then a spacial one

# October 1, 2008 at 22:18

paj says:

indeed its interessting, but i never want to live there.

# October 2, 2008 at 01:40

Ben Bradshaw says:

I agree the space is interesting, but the building seems somehow like a premise to an expansion on the theme? Or am I talking nonsense? One must also bare in mind the japanese lifestyle, and when viewed from this perspective I think the space is generally a success.

# October 2, 2008 at 04:16

sebastian says:

a form and spaces.
good!!!

# October 2, 2008 at 09:21

Virginia says:

I love the idea behind this house but I feel it lacks any organic form + happiness with so many straight lines. This appears to be the fashion at the moment.

# October 2, 2008 at 11:45

Glenda says:

Very cold looking interior – no warmth, not inviting.

# October 2, 2008 at 13:23

Glenda,

I’m on the opposite side. I love that it’s just white and full of light. Maybe that’s why my apt. is all white with a few furniture on it.

# October 2, 2008 at 16:45

Hakeem says:

I miss some views to the outside

# October 2, 2008 at 20:50

vp says:

The views are always nice, but in this case the flag-shaped plot dictates that the only open views are towards the street. So I think taking natural light in through the openings in the roof is a great idea, since there are buildings close on the other three sides. The mass and shape is interesting also. Quite a playful and compact house.

# October 3, 2008 at 02:03

web design company says:

The roof which looks as if barnacled lets in light through the glass on the top of the tube-shaped windows that are set avoiding shades and eye gaze of the neighbors.

# October 3, 2008 at 15:37

VP: Good point. But almost every urban house has the same problem with the restricted views.

# October 3, 2008 at 19:36

cexec says:

It wouldn’t be nice return to that house after work or sth…

# November 19, 2008 at 14:43

benk says:

I think, for me this is merely a sculpture. It doesn’t come up from the principle of “form follow function”, except if the client doesn’t worry of the sharp wall (or ceiling?) near their head. Anyway, It does not create “space”, but only an unusual “form”.

# December 2, 2008 at 08:39

Simone says:

Yeah i agree, nice skylights, but the interior…my gosh

# January 19, 2009 at 22:15

Almeida says:

what da hell is that?! surreal.

# January 30, 2009 at 23:57

M.C. says:

Once you live there, you will learn more.

# April 26, 2009 at 03:39

aufi says:

no circulation of air……if it place on a tropical climate sure become the oven house

# May 7, 2009 at 23:00

HSXK says:

I like its form and light, but the internal can be more compact and beautiful, I think just need some more time to conceive it!

# May 19, 2009 at 20:25

Durban says:

I think this house is a great synthesis of interesting space, dynamic form and light. It seems to be perfectly funtional too so what more can you ask? The exterior looks really out of place in the neighbourhood; but personally i love the interior space (as designed by the architect) unfortunately the furnishings and curtains ruin it.

# June 7, 2009 at 03:48

jvl!o says:

the interior design needs COLOR!

# June 9, 2009 at 10:22

s says:

don’t worry, this house has got WHITE and LIGHT
Who said the interior design needs Colour far from white?
I agree that the fabric (inc.the curtain) is nonsense, though.

# June 26, 2009 at 07:08

missND says:

interior needs a better solution i guess…
why they needed to put the beds in the living room? =) i really couldnt get that but maybe the client wanted it that way…

the closeness of the walls that separates in-from-out is sharp. it’s temple-like roof is ok. and all these make sense that made me think if client wanted to feel like a temple living in the house.
then it makes sense that, people who are gonna live in it, wont miss the garden view or wont care if beds are in the living room =) a different way of living…

# July 8, 2009 at 04:43

em says:

simple, clean, direct both exterior and interior. I could definitely live here.

# September 14, 2009 at 18:14

Jason says:

It’s a nice house but it reminds me of Mon Oncle. :)

# September 22, 2011 at 21:48

Kash says:

those little window openings are disastrous with the relation to the overall form and the way it meets the ground its not great either in my humble opinion.

# September 23, 2011 at 20:11

sar says: