Architects:Meguro Architecture Laboratory

Area:148m²

Year:2025

Photographs:Shun Fukuda

Lead Architects:Mitsuru Hirai, Sayu Yamaguchi

Category:Houses,Renovation

Lead Team:Mitsuru Hirai, Sayu Yamaguchi

Engineering & Consulting > Structural:Shimizu Structural Engineers

City:Tokyo

Country:Japan

Text description provided by the architects. A House is a renovation of a wooden house that had become an unauthorised structure due to r repeated extensions and alterations since it was constructed 100 years ago. The processes to bring this house back into compliance with the current building regulations and reapply for planning permission involved 1) removing the unauthorised extensions, 2) constructing a new foundation inside the existing structure for seismic reinforcement, and 3) applying fire-resistant wall cladding. The renovation of A House can be used as a case study to explore the possibilities for other wooden structures with similar conditions.

On the 2nd floor, retaining the exposed beams, raising the ceiling, and installing a skylight create a rhythmic space that blends the external environment into the interior. This also adds depth to the building's appearance as a focal point along the street.

Although building from scratch was a common decision, the client wished to opt for renovation out of consideration for the waste generated by demolition and the environment. As rebuilding would have disrupted the family business—one of the few remaining milk delivery services in the area—they chose to renovate whilst installing a large refrigerator. Furthermore, the existing timber frames are reinforced and coated with fire-resistant coating.

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