artechnic: breeze housing development

‘breeze’ by artechnic, tokyo, japan image © nacasa & partners inc. all images courtesy of artechnic

japanese practice artechnic has just completed ‘breeze,’ a housing project in setagaya, tokyo is made to replicate the feel of a sheltered ‘private beach’ environment with the close-by amenities of the city. the form sits like a solid concrete shell with petals that curve out almost holding the private living units, blocking the views and light from the north, while opening up in the south. the curvature of the outer buffer barriers accommodates second-storey access, and is spaced away from the internal structure to allow parking. the terrace-style flats feature an inclining garden on the southern end that open the ground floor living space and bring in plenty of natural light. light courts between each unit illuminate the bedrooms while keeping them private from public sight. the combination of under-floor radiant heating/cooling and an insulation applied directly onto the exterior envelope, the perfect balance between commercial appeal and comfort was achieved, while reducing the cost of maintenance.  

entrance to the individual units image © nacasa & partners inc.

entry stairs image © nacasa & partners inc.

(left) stairs from ground level to basement level (right) stairs from ground level to the mezzanine image © nacasa & partners inc.

living room image © nacasa & partners inc.

image © nacasa & partners inc.

basement level image © nacasa & partners inc.

basement multi-use room image © nacasa & partners inc.

kitchen image © nacasa & partners inc.

bathroom view towards inclined garden image © nacasa & partners inc.

entry staircase image © nacasa & partners inc.

back of the house image © nacasa & partners inc.

image © nacasa & partners inc.

image © nacasa & partners inc.

site plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

floor plan / level 0 : unit B

floor plan / level 1 : unit A

floor plan / level 2 : unit A

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elevation

section perspective