A Minimalist Tokyo Home With the Ultimate Rooftop
With open space and privacy in mind, this Japanese couple renovated their home to make it the ultimate minimalist retreat
Just one block in from the tall apartment buildings that line the ring road, you find a scenic zone specially designated by Setagaya Ward. Along the area’s central axis stands a line of low houses, but these low-level homes are overlooked by the larger buildings in front.
The design for this house was to provide privacy and seclusion, while still enjoying as much sunshine as possible. Luckily, through a friend, the homeowners met a pair of architects formerly from Takenaka Corporation – one of Japan’s biggest architecture firms – who created a house that fulfilled their wish. The house boasts an idyllic terrace where the couple can enjoy the sun and even eat meals outside in good weather, without ever worrying about being overlooked.
The design for this house was to provide privacy and seclusion, while still enjoying as much sunshine as possible. Luckily, through a friend, the homeowners met a pair of architects formerly from Takenaka Corporation – one of Japan’s biggest architecture firms – who created a house that fulfilled their wish. The house boasts an idyllic terrace where the couple can enjoy the sun and even eat meals outside in good weather, without ever worrying about being overlooked.
The second floor serves as an outdoor living and dining area. The roof is 60 centimetres thick, made from wooden beams reinforced with steel.
“Here, I can sunbathe without hesitation,” the wife says, about the second floor terrace. The feature that succeeds in bringing the blue sky into the private space is the large triangular cutout window. The design places a large, second level atop the first to create a box with the southwest corner cut off. All you can see from here is the sky – the highrises are completely hidden from view.
The other special feature of this terrace is the 1.2-metre-wide FRP grating that was used to surround the deck, creating a border alonside the outer wall. The husband works for a large grating manufacturer, and made use of the product in his own home. It is made from FRP resin, formed into a lattice shape. It is lighter and more durable than steel, and allows air and light to pass through – a special selling point, since it lets sunlight fall on the garden in front of the lower level.
Peeking out from the corner of the terrace is a longstalk holly tree (Ilex pedunculosa), which keeps its leaves year round. When the breeze blows through the leaves they make a soft rustling sound.
The other special feature of this terrace is the 1.2-metre-wide FRP grating that was used to surround the deck, creating a border alonside the outer wall. The husband works for a large grating manufacturer, and made use of the product in his own home. It is made from FRP resin, formed into a lattice shape. It is lighter and more durable than steel, and allows air and light to pass through – a special selling point, since it lets sunlight fall on the garden in front of the lower level.
Peeking out from the corner of the terrace is a longstalk holly tree (Ilex pedunculosa), which keeps its leaves year round. When the breeze blows through the leaves they make a soft rustling sound.
The bath is located directly to the side of the terrace and the steel sash door fittings were ordered specially for the space. This window is equipped with blinds, but most of the time the bathers leave them partway open, in order to enjoy the view.
The hypotenuse of the triangular cutout is about eight metres, while the adjacent side is about six, and the opposite side is about four. Different scenery appears in the view through the triangle, depending on where you stand.
A sofa and table seen here in the living room, as well as the dining table and chairs, are from Actus. To the left is a built-in storage shelf.
A sofa and table seen here in the living room, as well as the dining table and chairs, are from Actus. To the left is a built-in storage shelf.
There is an uninterrupted view from the island kitchen all the way to the terrace. A white wall on the left side of the dining area faces south. The south side offers a less appealing view than the rich greenery of the west side, so the south window is intentionally long and narrow. The right wall contains a skylight to let in the sun.
Seen here, the kitchen was made to order by Madre. Above the storage cabinets, a window lets the light in, and the centre panel can be opened and closed as needed for air circulation.
A sliding living room door leads to a hallway and staircase in the basement. The bathroom can be glimpsed in the centre of this photo.
The walls and floor of the bathroom are covered with mosaic tiles and the sink has a simple style, but is extra large to prevent water from splashing out.
At the back of the second floor terrace (shown in red) there are two poles for hanging laundry to dry. Though this spot is tucked away from the daily routine, it still gets plenty of sun.
Light pours through the window of the second floor dining room, outlining the textures found on the floor below. The wall is made of Jolypate, an acrylic material resistant to fading.
Each step in the staircase contains a front-opening storage drawer.
The homeowners also requested a large walk-in closet, so an 11 square metre wardrobe was designed in the space. It also acts as the entry into the bedroom in order to set private area a deeper inside the house and preserve the calmness of the space.
This second bedroom belongs to the husband. At the back right is a dedicated study.
The study is 4.5 square metres. It may be small, but it’s a calm and quiet space. A small window faces south, and overlooks the Ruscus bamboo growing on the property.
These two bedrooms share the first floor terrace, which overlooks the green space on the west side. Built-in shelves can be used as benches, or as a place to set planters.
Here is a full view of the south side of the home, which contains the main entrance. “I thought it would be interesting if the volume of the second level appeared to be hovering slightly above the ground. Creating different spaces within a single home is my specialty,” Yamagata says. The architect adds that he would like to incorporate relaxing, rooftop spaces for sunbathing and open-air dining into his future designs.
The outer wall of the second level is made of Galvalume steel spandrel. Spandrel is metal veneer formed to hide the screws that hold it in place. But not only does it hide the seams between plates, as a design feature it breaks up the monotony of the walls, adding to the beauty of the building.
The outer wall of the second level is made of Galvalume steel spandrel. Spandrel is metal veneer formed to hide the screws that hold it in place. But not only does it hide the seams between plates, as a design feature it breaks up the monotony of the walls, adding to the beauty of the building.
The house this couple had inherited from one of their fathers was getting old, and their kids had left the nest, so the couple decided to build a new house where they could be alone together. Nothing can replace the luxury of sunbathing and outdoor dining without worrying about being watched by the neighbours.
The scenic location of the house ensures a liveable environment, and not only does the triangular cutout offer a unique view from the inside, it also looks striking from the outside. If you visit after dark, you can see how the lights inside reflect on the white walls, and the whole building seems to float like a giant lantern on a pool of green.
TELL US
Do you like the unique style of this Japanese home? Tell us in the Comments section below.
The scenic location of the house ensures a liveable environment, and not only does the triangular cutout offer a unique view from the inside, it also looks striking from the outside. If you visit after dark, you can see how the lights inside reflect on the white walls, and the whole building seems to float like a giant lantern on a pool of green.
TELL US
Do you like the unique style of this Japanese home? Tell us in the Comments section below.
Who lives here: A couple in their 50s
Location: Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, Japan
Material: Wood
Supervising architect: Yo Yamagata Architects (designed in collaboration with Kazunobu Hamazaki of And Associates)
Total floor space: 156 square metres (first floor: 79 square metres, second floor: 77 square metres)
Property size: 277 square metres
Date completed: October 2014
Photos: Forward Stroke inc.
Speaking about the theme of the design, Yo Yamagata of Yo Yamagata Architects says, “The idea was to create a contrast between the first floor and second floor spaces.” He exchanged ideas with Kazunobu Hamazaki of And Associates.
Simply put, the first floor offers a moderate feeling of being closed off from the world, while the second floor offers a feeling of freedom and space. The first floor is a half basement sunk about 1.5 metres into the ground, making it feel calm and quiet. The bedrooms and study are located here, in an arrangement that allows the homeowners to easily migrate from room to room.
In contrast, the second floor is a simple box, with the living room and bathroom facing out onto the terrace.
This photograph shows the view from the southwest side. To the west side of the building is a productive green space (shown in front in the photo), and a slope down to the windows of the master bedroom on the first floor lets the green view inside. The low trees planted within the property line are common Ruscus bamboo (Shibataea kumasaca), which stays beautifully green all winter.