Architects: K+S Architects / Nobuya Kashima + Aya Sato
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Structure Engineer: SHI (Takumi Shinbo)
Site Area: 178.83 sqm
Built Area: 89.12 sqm
Total Floor Area: 141.69 sqm
Project Year: 2006
Photographs: Hiroshi Ueda

“Retreat” becomes the keyword.

I use  the bare concrete wall around to protect the living space from outside environment.

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floor plans

I set the Core Tower in the center of the house and I let  the living space stream and spatially continue with clinging to the Tower.

In the space isolated from the outside world, I try to  form the characteristically different space surrounding the Core Tower.

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© Hiroshi Ueda

Besides it, I make it very open architectonics and the movable  partitions enable the whole house to be a one  large (connected) room.

This also makes you sense and feel the presence of two big tortoises  which are the member of the family  anywhere in the house.

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© Hiroshi Ueda

Whereas the house at a glance might give a subtle closed  expression in the town, indeed creates a warm and gracious atmosphere at night  by a light leaks  out from the oval aperture of the aluminum panel.