komada architects office: BASE house, tokyo

 ‘BASE house’ by komada architects, tokyo, japanimage © toshihiroall images courtesy of komada architects office

continuing to push the boundaries of small-footprint living spaces, tokyo-based architects takeshi and yuka komada have recently designed ‘BASE house’ in response to both the mixed-use needs of the client and the imposing height regulations of setagaya-ku, the largest of the special wards that comprise the most populous municipality of tokyo. the live-work space is built over a slight 33 square meter site and consolidates an office and two levels of dwellings by brilliantly piercing the floor planes with ladders and spiral stairs. the impressively compact circulation is meticulously vertical and layered, such that maximum volume is allowed. while the art event planning office opens out to the public street, a careful composition of apertures serves to extend the home out to the sky and city-scape while giving the impression of wider lateral room. 

the angled top level allows ample light with generous windows image © toshihiro

‘BASE house’ by komada architects, tokyo, japanimage © toshihiro

(left): spiral staircases are a form of small-footprint circulation (right): a network of ladders and apertures seemingly amplify the dimensions of the rooms image © toshihiro

movement is oriented vertically to make the best use of overhanging spacesimage © toshihiro

a view into the bathroom image © toshihiro

the clients’s art event planning office is open to the street image © toshihiro

(left): a dusk view of the first floor office(right): the house in the urban context image © toshihiro

the home uses strategic fenestration to open the compact space out to the city.image © toshihiro

floor plan level 0

floor plan level 1

plan loft level

floor plan level 2

short section

transverse section