hideaki takayanagi: life in spiral
‘life in spiral’ by hideaki takayanagi, tokyo, japan all images courtesy of hideaki takayanagi
‘life in spiral’, a dwelling by tokyo-based practice hideaki takayanagi, explores the concept of opening and closing towards the city of tokyo, japan. a narrow site dictated a four-storey dwelling, introducing a 3-dimensional engawa in the form of a ribbon which winds its way through the centralized vertical circulation, also creating perimeter rooms along the glazed facade. providing shade throughout the interior, the angled partial wall defines and separates the rooms while allowing daylight to enter.
stackable vertical shutters along the perimeter glass offer privacy to inhabitants as desired, allowing either a transparent window or a screened wall to exist, producing a serendipitous relationship with daily activity within the home and inward views from passersby.
street elevation
aerial view
aerial view of roof
(left) ground level study (right) first floor dining room
kitchen + dining
floor to ceiling window opens to outdoors while a glass panel protects inhabitants from falling
view of dining + living area from kitchen
living area
(left) stairs (right) bathroom on second level
sink
master bathroom
bedroom
view into the ground level study
spiraling stairway
model
model of interior program
model detail
study model
site plan
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level 1
floor plan / level 2
floor plan / level -1
roof plan
section
spiral detail
wall section detail
project info:
project name: life in spiral location: tokyo, jpn plot size: 50.0sq. meter built area: 29.8sq. meter total floor area: 109sq. meter
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the architects sought to design a home that would be as small as possible within its tropical jungle setting.
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surrounded by natural trees and other vegetation, the property has been designed to exist in harmony with the bucolic landscape.
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v Jul 14, 2012 
raymond Jul 12, 2012 
LEX V. Jul 12, 2012 
samu Jul 11, 2012 
rcvs1 Jul 10, 2012
more commentsDoes Designboom feature any architecture other than Japanese? OMG. Enough all ready. We get it. Japanese lines are clean and crisp and might I add, BORING!
in the future when the majority of houses will be like this one , you sayers of “how can somebody live like this” , “it is like a puplic display” , etc , will be recalled by us as the backward minded ones in the history. Be sure about that.
Congratulations to the architect’s team
This place is one of a kind, could be as private as you may like, clean lines everywhere, strategically built to conceal the master bathroom, the only thing i could call ”wasted space” is the roof, they could have built a really nice garden to relax.
Japanese habitually look away from other people’s privacy because of the strong self-control. That is, the more they open their house, the more they get free from other people’s view.
This is brilliant. Elegant and I love the simplicity of the exterior form.