丨日本

Architects:Tenhachi Architect & Interior Design

Area:27m²

Year:2022

Photographs:Kenta Hasegawa

Lead Architects:Tomoko Sasaki

Category:Houses

Country:Japan

A home for a couple, nestled in the heart of the city – Situated in a densely populated residential area, the north-facing property stands quietly amid the urban fabric, enclosed on three sides by neighboring properties. Created with spatial limits both in plan and cross-section in mind, the design embraces vertical continuity, creating a fluid and expansive living space.

By making creative use of vertical connections, the home invites natural elements—light, wind, and air—while allowing the couple's respective areas to remain subtly connected, maintaining both intimacy and a comfortable sense of one's own space. The building volume, shaped by north-side slope setback regulations, accommodates green terraces on both the second and third floors, which function as transitional spaces that ensure privacy while establishing an effortless dialogue between interior and exterior. The L-shaped façade, finished in earthy tones, introduces a gentle three-dimensional presence of greenery into the cityscape.

To integrate the external environment into the home, the entrance is framed by a large set of wooden-framed glass sliding doors. Positioned before an open staircase leading to the upper floors, this element maintains clear sight lines while acting as a soft buffer between the outdoors and the living space within. The entrance floor is set about 40 cm below the exterior ground level, creating a tranquil sense of retreat for the couple while retaining a feeling of openness and connection to the outside world with a lifted gaze.

Natural materials are featured throughout, with lime plaster paint on the walls and ceilings offering humidity control and linoleum on the living room floor for durability and easy care. An interior color scheme based on a palette of whites is accented with navy gray—a theme color chosen by the couple—that is woven into the flooring, stairs, and built-in furniture.

In a further personal touch, the couple requested that the vintage furniture from their time in the United States be incorporated into their new home. A large shelving unit has been repurposed as an integral part of the kitchen counter, and a console table has been converted into a wash basin counter, with the texture of aged wood adding warmth and depth to the space. Art, books, and vintage items on display embody the couple's shared memories, naturally merging into their home and everyday lives.

A home that embraces nature's rhythm, the passage of time, and memories—rooted in the city yet shaped by personal history. This house for two is a space that will only deepen in character over time, always attuned to the couple at its heart.

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