1.8 M Width House | YUUA Architects and Associates

A house where light shines in and fresh air flows between the floating floors

The size of the property is approximately width 2.5m and depth 11m.  This small and narrow piece of land is a typical “eels’ bed” site, where one can reach his/her arm from left wall to right wall even though buildings stand very tight and compact next to one another.  We have tried to reserve as much space as possible as well as to provide psychological openness for the resident.  The house has been designed to follow the concept “A house with playfulness where people and cats live happily”.

In this project, we have considered this house as an aggregation of small “places” and designed a space where such “places” expanded in various floor levels. Floating floors in long and narrow space generate the spatial expanse. Light and fresh air which has been taken in from openings of frontage and upper side of the building flows into every corner of the house, utilizing the floor difference. Light and air brings psychological utility, and deep and calm color gives sense of depth to the space. Texture of materials, such as scaffolding boards and marble dust paintings will be an accent to interior of the house. Open shelves placed around the stairs and in the kitchen will provide the spatial openness.  Daily household goods fit naturally into the atmosphere, composing the part of interior design. 

Structural design was developed by fully considering the singularity of the building shape. Columns and beams were limited to maximize the interior space. Steel-frame construction method adequate to the narrow frontage site condition, EZ stake system, and basement structure that resist against drawing-out power were adopted.  Exterior materials with non-scaffold construction system, open piping route that can be easily maintained are further adopted to match the uniqueness of the land shape. 

Natural ventilation was carefully studied to minimize the use of air conditioning system. Natural wind, natural air flow, and utilization of circulator provides the comfortable space to the habitant.