‘cycling house’ by be-fun design in sumida, tokyo, japan all images courtesy be-fun design image © masaya yoshimura

japanese architects be-fun design has completed ‘cycling house’, an apartment building in the downtown area of sumida, tokyo, japan. situated on a 70 m2 flagpole-shaped plot along the sumida river bank, the design features an alley-like entrance that creates a private entranceway for the inhabitants.

be fun design: cycling house street view image © masaya yoshimura

referencing the urban infrastructure of the region, the curvilinear passageway is an extension of the city’s alleys which draws the approach to the centre of the two-storey building. a short elevation is visible from the street which bends in on itself to generate a 2 meter-wide chasm between itself and an adjacent structure. by utilizing rounded out corners, the exterior surface is visually extended in a continuous sweep.

be fun design: cycling house views of alleyway entrance images © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house image © masaya yoshimura

accommodating eight independent units with separate entrances, the layout of the interior fans out from the central entry point. the design takes advantage of every square footage available, creating narrow but multi-level apartments within. while the building’s volume and overall height allows for two-storeys, partial floor slabs and loft platforms placed at varying levels result in small, separated areas and nooks. the design balances out the tight layout with generous vertical voids, visually extending the sense of space through a singular white finish.

be fun design: cycling house entrance of a unit image © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house stairs and ladders connecting levels images © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house kitchen image © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house stairs images © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house image © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house images © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house the entrance passageway at night image © masaya yoshimura

be fun design: cycling house 3D model

be fun design: cycling house rendered street view

be fun design: cycling house section

be fun design: cycling house section

be fun design: cycling house floor plan / level 0

be fun design: cycling house floor plan / level +1

be fun design: cycling house west elevation

be fun design: cycling house south elevation

project info:

site area: 220.9 m2 building surface: 146.17 m2 total floor surface: 292.35 m2 structure: wood