Ark

Tokyo, Japan

Photo © Hiroshi Ueda

Architects: Katsuhiko Endo Architect and Associates

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Year: 2015

The site is facing towards a wide road that across the major shopping street from the Kugahara station. It is a quiet residential area, away from the bustle of the station and the shopping street.

In planning a total of 12 apartment houses including 10 rental units and 2 owners in a dense residential area for such surroundings, we looked for ways to: make it open living space that enjoys the natural environment such as wind and light, create a shared space that allows diversity of different unit living together, to connect each unit loosely through shared space, and to acquire the maximum building volume using the Japanese sky factor regulation. Through these planning, we searched for a solution to that multi-unit housing in urban area.

The semi-outdoor space called “living terrace” in each residence contribute to develop unique characteristic of the building that has various aspects as a buffer zone with the surrounding environment and shared space, as an extension of the living room and as a ventilation device of the whole building.