tetsushi tominaga architect & associates: gap house

‘gap house’ by tetsushi tominaga architect & associates in tokyo, japan all images courtesy tetsushi tominaga architect & associates image © suzuki kenichi

japanese practice tetsushi tominaga architect & associates has sent us images of ‘gap house’, a two-storey private residence in the center of tokyo, japan. working with the small and narrow site, the design incorporates a common space that stretches both horizontally and vertically to loosely define the interior programs through light chasms in the built volume.

interior view of central staircase image © suzuki kenichi

slightly stepped back from the street line to generate a car park outside, the front facade of the house is distinctly characterized by a cross-shaped glazing which provides a level of transparency to the design. the effect graphically ‘cuts’ the elevation into four sections, resulting in an illusion of a series of boxes that are levitating in close proximity to one another.

view of gap from loft level image © suzuki kenichi

encased within the vertical glass volume is the house’s central staircase, which simultaneously defines the living space from the service programs on the ground floor. in a similar manner, light is used to subtly differentiate between the lower level bedroom and study by a ‘roof light’ outfitted with structural glass. perpendicularly running to the stairs, the catwalk-like hallway connects the second storey together while maintaining the vertical strip of transparency legible from the street. by arranging the interior around the transversing strips of circulation, the resulting layout is simple and intuitive.

view from dining room on second floor image © suzuki kenichi