design studio NAO presents its latest apartment renovation project in tokyo, which literally centers around a bathtub. the client was looking for ‘a space where you can feel japan’ and a layout that could also serve as bed & breakfast accommodation. drawing from his own experience living abroad, designer nao tokuda decided to place a large tub in the middle of the floor plan to symbolize traditional japanese bathing culture.

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

images courtesy of design studio NAO

 

 

nao tokuda explains, ‘in my own experience, it is the bath rather than sushi that I miss when I live in europe, which is centered on shower culture, and I think that the bathroom is the space where you can feel japan most in the space of an apartment. from this idea, we designed a space that literally centers on a bathtub, where the bathroom can be a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen’.

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

 

 

the central bathtub is positioned within a large, open plan kitchen and living area. from here, guests can enjoy incredible views overlooking tokyo. to the rear of the living space, there is also a small toilet and shower room, which remain somewhat open to the rest of the accommodation thanks to glass doors. 

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

 

 

on the other side of the floor plan is a master bedroom that extends outside to a generous terrace. glass doors to the bedroom continue the sense of fluidity that dominates throughout the design, making the renovation feel like one continuous space, and making the apartment perfect as a bed & breakfast for visitors experiencing tokyo for the first time. 

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

a bathtub overlooks the tokyo skyline for this apartment renovation by NAO designboom

 

 

project info:

 

project name: bathroom house

status: under development

location: tokyo, japan

design: design studio NAO

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: lynne myers | designboom