Half-Moon Cutouts Cast Dramatic Light Across This Concrete Home in Tokyo

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Project Details: 

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Architect: Takeshi Hosaka Architects / @takeshi_hosaka_official

Footprint: 2,352 square feet 

Structural Engineer: Nawakenji-M

Photographer: Noboru Inoue 

From the Architect: "This house for a family of four is in a residential area in Yayoi, Bunkyo, Japan. The first floor includes stairs that connect the main entrance to the second floor, the bathroom, and other areas. Attached to the back of the two-car garage, there is a studio that can be used for both work and hobbies. Greenery, such as plants, biotopes, and water are placed on the ground and walls around the house to amplify and enjoy nature as in the city. Initially, the biotope will be cared for and curated, and then it will be left to its own devices to create a cycle of circulation. In no time, the walls will be covered with ivy plants such as bitter gourd. Water from the roof flows down the walls and pours into the biotope.

"The second floor is centered around a large main space with a ceiling height of nearly 19.5 feet. Two large semicircular skylights, positioned diagonally from each other, open into the main space. The large surface of the reinforced concrete allows the direct sunlight and moonlight that pours in from the skylight to refract and illuminate the walls. 

"The terrace and the main space are separated by three sliding doors that can be fully opened, and the plants around the terrace adjust the line of sight from the surrounding houses. The soil from the kitchen garbage processor adds nutrients to the plants on the terrace, circulating human life into the plants. The terrace and main space can be integrated to create a continuous indoor/outdoor space with natural light, connecting to the primary bedroom, two children’s rooms, and the wife’s hobby room (complete with three fish tanks and an aquarium)."