mamm design: minna no ie

‘minna no ie’ by mamm-design in tokyo, japan all images courtesy mamm-design image © daici ano

japanese architecture practice mamm-design has shared with us images of ‘minna no ie’, a two-and-a-half storey dwelling in a residential district of tokyo, japan. situated on a 4.5m by 12m plot bound by neighbouring buildings, the design seek to provide a space that seemingly expands beyond its borders by inserting a six meter-high garden room at its center.

street view image © daici ano

unassuming in its presence, the white house features a small cantilever which shelters the street level terrace below. a stretch of floor-to-ceiling glazed doors serve as the main entrance, and provides a transparent view of the garden room within. finished with a slate-toned brick flooring, a feeling of an outdoor plaza is established for the open space. a tree planted at the center of the floor further provides a sense of a garden. large roof lights illuminate the interior, and naturally shifts the atmosphere throughout the trajectory of the day.

interior view of garden room image © daici ano

pivoting around the main room, private programs are arranged on an offset platform system. an atelier hosted in the cantilevered volume looks out over the garden room while a small study space and bedroom are stacked on the opposite end of the layout. conscious of preserving a feeling of openness, every area of the house has a direct connection to the multi-storey void, and are devoid of wall partitions or doors. a strong relationship is created between the inhabitants through visual and audio correspondence.

aerial view image © daici ano