flathouse's nami nami dwelling built for an elderly couple in tokyo

flathouse’s nami nami dwelling built for an elderly couple in tokyo
all images © takumi ota

realized by flathouse, the ‘nami nami house’ is a small and compact dwelling belonging to an elderly couple living in tokyo. due to their familiarity with the neighborhood, the couple asked the architects to rebuild their house tomore accustomed to their lifestyle. some of the challenges presented with steep staircases and narrow spaces, along with the maximum building coverage ratio being only at 50%.

the narrow and tall building houses three storey’s within

after experimenting with different solutions, the architects decided on a thin arc-shaped volume to complement an efficiently planned interior with  enough space for a small outdoor terrace. the external envelope is clad in a silver corrugated material, while the rooms are characterized by a rhythmic and wave-shaped ceiling which influences the illusion of a larger space.

the front side of the home has no windows for security and privacy reasons

inside, a staircase with a wide tread and gradual riser connects the three levels together. as for security and privacy, openings were minimized on the street-facing façade and instead are organized to face the neighbor’s garden to allow natural light into the rooms.

‘we did many studies and tried to find a comfortable habitable solution… a small outdoor space -which resembles a tiny pocket park is located on the northern end of the site with a ‘green wall’ to anticipate soft reflection of light. we hope that this would function as a community space for the residents and their neighbors.’ – flathouse

the windows at the rear overlook the neighbor’s garden

the kitchen with the tabletop curving with the arc-shaped plan of the room

a timber ceiling with a rhythmic and wave form creates the illusion of a larger space

the master bedroom

close up detail of the main staircase

the kitchen space

the house is located in a residential neighborhood of tokyo