2 Courts House

2-Courts House is built on a typical central Tokyo site – small, narrow land, constrained by closely built neighbouring properties on three sides, with a street frontage on the fourth. These same sites often encounter difficulties with privacy and capturing sufficient natural light. Built over 4-storeys, the precast concrete walls shield the activities of everyday life, while the insertion of two cascading lightwells vertically divide the floor plans, spilling gradual light into the innermost volume of the house. With differing light intensity from each, the rooms of the house have been characterised, and functions assigned. Sundrenched bedrooms with adjoining courts are positoned on the upper floors and living quarters with double height lounge on the lower floor. Project Team: Keiji Ashizawa, Naoki Sekikawa Photography: Daici Ano