Stairway House / nendo

Stairway House / nendo - Windows, FacadeStairway House / nendo - Sink, CountertopStairway House / nendo - Garden, CourtyardStairway House / nendo - Facade, Windows, GardenStairway House / nendo - More Images+ 58

Minato City, Japan
  • Architects: nendo
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  284
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2019
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Daici Ano, Takumi Ota
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  ASAHI WOODTECH Cooperation, NENGO Company Limited
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Stairway House / nendo - Facade, Windows, Garden
© Takumi Ota

Text description provided by the architects. A two-family home in a quiet residential area of Tokyo. With other houses and apartment buildings pressing around the site, the architectural volume was pushed to the north to take in daylight, ventilation, and greenery of the yard into the living environment by a large glass front southern façade.

Stairway House / nendo - Sink, Countertop
© Takumi Ota
Stairway House / nendo - Image 61 of 63
First floor plan
Stairway House / nendo - Stairs, Handrail, Windows
© Daici Ano

The layout plan made it possible to preserve the existing persimmon tree beloved by the previous generations. Considering the potential difficulties of going up and down the stairs, the rooms for the older couple were arranged on the 1st floor. The eight cats living with the older couple roam in and outdoors more freely, and encourages the mother to enjoy her hobby of gardening more freely.

Stairway House / nendo - Lighting, Table, Windows, Chair, Handrail
© Daici Ano
Stairway House / nendo - Handrail
© Daici Ano
Stairway House / nendo - Table, Windows, Chair, Facade
© Takumi Ota

The younger couple and their child reside on the 2nd and 3rd floors. To avoid the two households being completely separated at the top and bottom, a “stairway-like” structure was designed in the south yard, continuing upward into the building and penetrating the 1st through 3rd floors.

Stairway House / nendo - Stairs, Windows, Facade, Handrail
© Daici Ano

Enclosed inside the “stairway” are functional elements, such as bathrooms and a staircase for actual use, with the upper part taking on the look of a semi-outdoor greenhouse with abundant greenery as well as a sun-soaked perch for the cats to enjoy climbing. And so, a stairway and greenery gently connected the upper and lower floors along a diagonal line, creating a space where all three generations could take comfort in each other’s subtle presence.

Stairway House / nendo - Stairs, Facade
© Daici Ano

Not only does the stairway connect the interior to the yard, or bond one household to another, this structure aims to expand further out to join the environs and the city —connecting the road that extends southward on the ground level, and out into skylight through the top-light.

Stairway House / nendo - Windows, Facade
© Daici Ano

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About this office
Cite: "Stairway House / nendo" 07 Apr 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/936995/stairway-house-nendo> ISSN 0719-8884

© Daici Ano

东京阶梯住宅,三代人与八只猫的家 / nendo

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