Nami-Nami (Waving) House

Tokyo, Japan

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Nami-Nami (Waving) House

Tokyo, Japan

Firm

FLAT HOUSE

Type

Residential › Private House

YEAR

2010

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

Photos

Takumi Ota Photography (11)

We were requested a consultation of a small house project by an older couple living in Tokyo.
Considering their age, we recommended the couple to relocate and live in a comfortable apartment, but due to familiarity of the land and its neighborhood, they strongly wished to continue living on this same land that they have lived for many years. Existing house had steep staircase and narrow bathroom which were all too hard on their age, so the plan was to rebuild the house completely that would suit their current lifestyle.

This small site had many challenges, including maximum building coverage ratio being only 50%. We did many studies and tried to find a comfortable habitable solution. In conclusion, we found that encarving a volume in an arc shape is the best way to efficiency ensure indoor space. This also leaves a small outdoor space -which resembles a tiny pocket park- after cutting out an arc-like volume between the building and the front road. Although this pocket park is located on the northern end of the site, we made a “greening wall” to anticipate soft reflection of light. We hoped that this would function as a community space for the residents and their neighbors.

Inside the house, we designed gentle stairs for the couple and combined stair landing and entrance for an efficiency of this narrow site. Also, for safety and privacy from the street, we minimized window openings on the street side. Instead, the house is oriented towards their neighbor’s garden with large window openings which let in ample of nature daylight.
We created three levels and a roof terrace inside the small volume so ceiling height of each floor was rather limited. We thus designed wavy ceilings by minimizing above-ceiling space for structure and necessary wirings. By doing so, not only does each floor becomes and feels high, but it takes on a “fluctuation” and “rhythmic” behavior. As a result, space feels larger than it is. The house also has a roof terrace, and we hope the couple would enjoy a lifestyle in this house that they would not be able to in an apartment.

Takumi Ota Photography