atelier bow wow: split machiya

‘split machiya’ by atelier bow wow, shinjuku, tokyo, japan images © manuel oka

japanese practice atelier bow wow has created ‘split machiya’, a private home for a couple and a single woman in tokyo, japan. sited within a densely populated neighborhood, the dwelling is composed of two mirrored structures, loosely connected by a lush central courtyard. informed by the confined plot of land, the residences feature compact and split level designs aimed at generating a visually open and integrated living environment.

similar in organization, the homes each consist of modest and private spaces accordingly hosted on two and a half floors. exposed wooden beams accommodate built in shelves and work stations, relieving the rooms of clutter and excess adornment. the pitched roof form is translated inside to further emphasize the expansion of space, while skylights introduce additional natural light and ventilation into the dwelling. four large windows are aligned on the second-storey to create a continuous sightline between both the residences and the contrasting surrounding landscape.

(left) living room with view towards second structure (right) living room with view towards kitchen and stairway

living room and kitchen

living room and courtyard

(left) bedroom (right) office

office

backyard

second storey of second home, looking back onto the couple’s residence

the aligned red roofs of the dwellings stand out in the congested skyline