MDS: fukasawa house

‘fukasawa house’ by MDS, tokyo, japanimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDSall images courtesy of MDS

the ‘fukasawa house’ in tokyo is located on a small corner site, which meant that horizontal expansion would not be possible to accommodate theclient’s spatial needs. japanese studio MDS therefore responded to the challenge by designing vertically instead. the timber frame structure is elevated upon a one meter high reinforced concrete plinth that creates a semi-basement containing the master bedroom. the apex of the roof reaches to the very limit of residential height restrictions and the canopy is gabled to express a more sensible scale from street level. a single staircase windsthrough the entire volume, servicing the various half-levels that branch out from the single point. each mezzanine houses an individual function in an open plan that allows each floor to communicate visually. from the interior, the house reads as a single space with rich-toned wood panels wrapping along an entire axis, accented by the exposed structure. the central V shaped columns help support the roof plane and add a unique character to the inside of the space, with integrated lights in the joists.

primary vertical circulationimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

half levels open to one anotherimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

image © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

kitchen level image © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

top levelimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

V shaped columns delineate the edge of the floor to support the roofimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

image © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

image © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

lights embedded within the joistsimage © kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / MDS

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

section

project info:

architecture : kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / mds photography : kiyotoshi mori & natsuko kawamura / mds

location : setagaya-ku,tokyodate of completion : 2011principal use : residence structure : wood + reinforced concretesite area : 75.20 m2total floor area : 94.82 m2 (35.40 m2/1f, 39.74 m2/2f, 18.87m2/b1f)

exterior finish : plastererroof : galvanized color steel sheet standing-seam roofingfloor : oak flooringwall : acrylic emulsion paint + plaster boardceiling : acrylic emulsion paint + plaster board