House in Tokyo

Tokyo has the character of both a metropolis and a village. The present house, for example, is situated between three interchange stations, yet in an inconspicuous alleyway. The two-storey base structure, which contains the main living areas, occupies the entire site, apart from a narrow garden strip on to which all rooms open. The house is otherwise introverted. On top of the plinth structure, is a two-storey set-back volume, consisting of a single space with a gallery and with an adjoining roof terrace. A closed cylindrical element at the very top affords a view of the sky. The folded steel staircase running through the entire house is not just a linking unit, but a distinct design feature and part of the structure.