i remember you’ by norisada maeda atelier in setagaya, tokyo, japan all images courtesy norisada maeda atelier photographer: ryuji shiraishi

 

 

 

‘i remember you’ by norisada maeda atelier is a three-storey private residence in setagaya, tokyo, japan. conceived in collaboration with columbia university-based design firm proxy, the project was largely driven by the use of software algorithms that simultaneously determined the form and space of the architecture.

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you (left) second floor (right) view of the staircase from third floor

 

 

 

situated in a densely populated urban environment, the main focus that determined the form of the overall volume was to equip the interior space with maximum natural daylight. featuring a multitude of contours and inward carvings, the internal surfaces are pushed in and out to create pockets that folds into the space. the result is a layout that is largely defined by moments of light: these occur as simple slits that swell along a wall or entire glazed forms that encase a spiral staircase.

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you spiral staircase

the origin of the project’s name comes from the architects’ desire to encapsulate the residents’ past memories in the architecture itself. the living spaces are generated through a processing program that utilized different types of source materials such as pictures and voices. a light screen on the first floor features a patterned  perforation that was developed from an old photograph of a deceived brother.

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you third floor

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you view of the outdoor terrace from the second floor

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you view of spinal staircase

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you kitchen wall unit

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you views of ground floor

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you opening along the wall

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you enclosed parking space

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you (left) looking down from upper level (right)view of interior space through ‘light chimney’

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you view from third floor terrace

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you exterior curvatures

norisada maeda atelier: I remember you algorithm analysis that visualizes processed sunlight by mark collins and toru hasegawa

 

project info:

 

site area: 70.04 m2 total floor area: 94.98 m2 function: private residence structural system: steel structure storeys: three