In a city where land is expensive, it is not easy to find a comfortable residence that meets all your requirements. But sometimes, you only need a small space to express your creativity and build your dream home.
In Tokyo where the land is narrow and dense, it is not easy to buy property. But it does not mean that this dream cannot be realised. Architect Takeshi Hosaka purchased a piece of land of about 194 sq ft in the centre of Tokyo and built a fully furnished micro-home for him and his wife.
To prevent light from being blocked by the buildings on both sides, a pair of curved roofs ascend to create arched openings which open to the sky, allow sunlight to permeate the house at different angles.
You can see the living room, which also doubles as a dining space, as soon as you enter the front glass door. The shelf in the side aisle is designed as a place to store items and vinyl, embellished with natural plants and fur cushions. The concrete walls reflect the simplicity of nature. As we move further inside the house, Hosaka had divided the kitchen block with a half-height concrete fence to retain the openness of the space.
On the other side of the kitchen, there are washing machines, refrigerators and storage shelves.
At the back of the kitchen, the main bedroom space is segregated by a low concrete wall. The bedframe is similarly made of cement, combined with wooden planks to create a locker space. Besides the bedroom, a glass sliding door gives way to an outdoor bath for the couple to dip into regardless of the season.
Photos:Takeshi Hosaka Architects