hugo kohno wraps cranks house in bands of protruding concrete

hugo kohno wraps cranks house in bands of protruding concrete
photography by seiichi ohsawa

charged with the task of designing a new dwelling within tokyo’s densely populated urban fabric, japanese architect hugo kohno has realized a three-storey home wrapped in bands of protruding concrete. built on a plot with soft ground conditions, the building’s weight needed to be significantly decreased through the implementation of a composite structural system — concrete is employed externally, with timber used for interior walls and flooring.

the three-storey home is wrapped in bands of protruding concrete

the ridged outer shell bears all horizontal forces, allowing for the free planning of infill components without the need for internal load-bearing walls. the architect refers to these structural members as ‘cranks’, a term which he later used to name the building. these ‘cranks’ are visible throughout the home’s interior, where they are utilized as ribs supporting wooden beams, light shelves and countertops.

the building’s weight was decreased through the implementation of a composite structural system

the building’s ‘cranks’ are visible throughout the home’s interior

an external terrace retains a sense of privacy

the dwelling’s secluded tatami room

carefully positioned windows provide daylight and views

the outer shell bears all horizontal loads

the house is located in tokyo’s densely populated urban fabric

the ridged exterior illuminated from within

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project info:

location: edogawa-ku, tokyo, japan
completed: may, 2014
structure: reinforced concrete, wood
site area: 140.81 sqm
building area: 83.23 sqm
total floor area: 209.34 sqm
architecture: hugo kohno architect associates
structural engineer: kentaro nagasaka
photography: seiichi ohsawa