Kamiuma House

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

KAMIUMA HOUSE

CHOP+ARCHI

ARCHITECTS
Chop+archi

AREA
107

YEAR
2017

PHOTOGRAPHS
Masao Nishikawa

MANUFACTURERS
Kaldewei, Catalano, Lixil Corporation

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
Setagaya, Japan

Text description provided by architect.

Creating “modulated connections” Located in a dense residential district in Tokyo, this property is distinguished by its triangular shape formed by two roads meeting at a sharp angle.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

The clients, a couple and their daughter, wanted a house that balanced privacy with the right amount of connection to the surrounding environment, while also controlling environmental elements like the direct sun that results from its location on a south-eastern corner lot bordered by roads on three sides.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

They also wanted a layout that made the best possible use of the lot’s unique shape.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

While the location is open, many surrounding residences face towards it, which inevitably creates a feeling of visual pressure.

To deal with this, the design includes three voids that serve as intermediary spaces between inside and outside, gently connecting the house to the surrounding neighborhood while still ensuring privacy.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

Because buildings on triangular lots tend to include dead space in the acutely angled corners, the three corners in this house are used as exterior voids.

This creates obtuse angles on the interior side, which gives the rooms a softer shape.

The structure occupies the entire lot, conforming to the triangular site’s shape to avoid setback regulations.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

The voids function as spaces that are continuous with the surrounding environment, residents, and neighborhood—in other words, with the exterior. In that way, they serve to “modulate connections” with the exterior.

The comings and goings of people represent a direct connection.

The windows cut into the structure provide another connection to the neighborhood.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

Then there are the connections created by lines of sight between residents, and connections with the sun, sound, wind, and other elements of the natural environment.

The three voids modulate relationships between these elements of the interior and exterior.

Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa
Kamiuma House
© Masao Nishikawa

This modulation enables just the right degree of interaction, and ultimately, leads to harmonious coexistence with the surrounding environment.


Kamiuma House
Site Plan
Kamiuma House
Ground and Upper Floor Plans


Kamiuma House
Sections
Kamiuma House
Elevations