MDS: mejiro house

‘mejiro house’ by MDS, tokyo, japan image © toshiyuki nano

the ‘mejiro house’ by japanese firm MDS blocks unwanted views from onlookers while maintaining a light-filled interior within the densely populated downtown of tokyo, japan. when viewed from the street, a cast concrete volume rests above a first level garage and entry. a solid privacy wall capped with plants mediates the public zone and property, concealing a double-storey courtyard which carves into the earth. daylight can then enter the living spaces in the basement and ground levels through a wall of transparent glass while maintaining privacy from passersby and neighboring homes.

two entries from private lanes lead inhabitants into a gallery like corridor that wraps the main stairwell. bands of glass and concrete partitions at alternating heights control outward and interior views. this area becomes a middle ground between the urban streetscape and interior, as well as the illuminated and open public zone and private family rooms on the upper floor. a strip of skylights brings abundant illumination from overhead, reflecting off the white walls to filter downward through the home.

a hedge wall in front of the facade protects a double story courtyard from onlookers image © toshiyuki nano

entry image © toshiyuki nano

front door image © toshiyuki nano

view of the glass-enclosed double-storey interior beyond the hedge wall image © toshiyuki nano

basement level living spaces image © toshiyuki nano

kitchen + dining area image © toshiyuki nano

view towards light well from kitchen image © toshiyuki nano

view towards living area from light well image © toshiyuki nano

living room image © toshiyuki nano

street level hedge wall blocks views from neighboring homes image © toshiyuki nano

image © toshiyuki nano

stair to ground level images © toshiyuki nano

view from stair image © toshiyuki nano

stair to first floor from ground level image © toshiyuki nano

ground level corridor image © toshiyuki nano

first floor image © toshiyuki nano

site plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level -1

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