Image via Complex Original
Architecture in Tokyo is, well, different. In a city with over 13 million people, Japanese architects are able to transform a space the size of a parking spot into an incredible home. How do they do this? By eliminating “unnecessary” features such as hallways, entryways, closets, and inner walls. Curtains separate bathrooms, and furniture folds in and out of walls. Sounds like a minimalists’ dream.
Check out The 25 Coolest Japanese Houses.
House Contrast
Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Key Operation Inc
Cool Fact: This home for three stands on a lot 3.7 meters wide and 17 meters deep.
Photographs by Tokyo gumi, KOP
Cube Court House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
Cool Fact: This house has two personalities – an intimate, introverted closed area, and an outward open courtyard.
Photographs by Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
Volcano House
Location: Sagami Bay, Japan
Architect: Foster + Partners
Cool Fact: Architect started with the sun as primary inspiration.
Photographs by Ian Lambot/Arcaid
Country House
Location: Karuizawa, Japan (2 hours outside of Tokyo)
Architect: Ryue Nishizawa from firm Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA
Cool Fact: The house uses recycled wood from the client’s old home. How sick is that?
Photographs by Erhard Pfeiffer
Small House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Kazuyo Sejima at SANAA with Ryue Nishizawa
Cool Fact: The house was built using thin steel plates in order to maximize inside space.
Lucky Drops
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Yasuhiro Yamashita
Cool Fact: This house is 2.5 feet wide at its narrowest point.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
C House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Kei’ichie Ire
Cool Fact: This house was constructed of metals to keep the walls thin.
Photographs by Ano Daici
Cell Brick
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: The house is 3 stories tall but only occupies 33 meters squared.
Crystal Brick II
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: This home uses a new a glass block with Nippon Electric Glass which increases insulation capacity and decreases noise.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Branching Coral
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: This awesome house has a curved wall and the polyhedron outside giving the indoor area greater space.
Photographs by Toshihiro Sobajima
Twin Bricks
Location: Saitama, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: The house is comprised of two wings – one for the owner and his family and the other is available for rent.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Parabola
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: The long and narrow site is just 6m in width and 27m in length.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Magritte’s
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: Every part of the house is made of concrete, including the floor, walls, and tables.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Ref Ring
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: The use of wood was used to interact with all senses – touch, smell, and vision.
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Wakka
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: Known as the “three dimensional composition with the vague cube.”
Photographs by Makoto Yoshida
Penguin House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Atelier Tekuto
Cool Fact: With only 899 sq. feet of floor space, the small house has three floors – the first floor is an amusement area, the second floor is a small bathroom and bedroom, and the third floor is a working area. In short, it is all about deliniation of space.
Photographs by Takeshi Taira
Yoyogi House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: frontofficetokyo
Cool Fact: This home features a garden visible from the street, which serves as an active green space.
Photographs by Daisuke Akita
House 2A and 2B
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Cheungvogi
Cool Fact: Owners wanted the contrast between the tree and the city to be incorporated into the design.
Guest House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: KINO Architects
Cool Fact: The project site is only 46 square meters.
Photographs by Hiroyuki Hirai
House in Aoto
Location: Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan
Architect: High Land Design
Cool Fact: This house has an awesome spiral staircase.
Photographs by Toshiyuki Yano
Puma House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Nendo
Cool Fact: Sometimes we can't help but get excited about corporate spaces. The staircases function as display stands for PUMA sneakers. Think of this as a home for shoes... yeah, we're stretching definitions here just a touch.
Photographs by Daici Ano
Mishima House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Keiji Ashizawa Design
Cool Fact: Translucent windows fill the house with light and provide maximum protection from the outside world.
Photographs by Daici Ano
Shift House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: APOLLO Architects
Cool Fact: This house incorporates an open air garden at its core.
Photographs by Masao Nishikawa
Ravine House
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Satoshi Kurosaki/APOLLO Architects
Cool Fact: The entire façade of the house is made up of rectangular glass bocks, slash windows, and skylights.
Photographs by Masao Nishikawa
Knot House
Location: Tokyo, japan
Architect: APOLLO Architects
Cool Fact: This house utilizes space by making use of the half floor difference in height between the front and back of the site.
Photographs by Masao Nishikawa