TAKATINA completes elevated black box house in suburban japan

15 miles just outside of tokyo, japan, the distinctive ‘black box house’, sits raised on corner lot in its hilly suburban neighborhood. proving to be a striking contrast in comparison to its stucco and lighter-colored neighbors, the dwelling is lived in by a fashion buyer and his family of four who had moved back to japan from living in brooklyn for ten years.

all images © mikiko kikuyama

new york-based TAKATINA was the studio in charge of realizing the black box house. the industrial aesthetic was instilled by their use of the galvanized panel which wraps the entire scheme. the same material is used for factories and warehouses. taking influence from carl andre’s minimalist art, the volume is organized across two-storeys with the communal first floor, a private second floor, garden and parking space.

the building rejects the outside scenery

unlike the residence’s monolithic and ornamentation-free exterior, the interior is unexpectedly the opposite. filled with light and decorated with a palette of white walls, polished concrete and stained exposed wood, the interior is a calm and family-orientated environment. due to the raised and north-side positioning, sunlight pours through the windows to provide a soft glow throughout the day. a large sliding door connects the main living area to the private garden terrace.

the large sliding doors connect the main living area to a secluded south-facing garden

on the second floor, a domestic atmosphere is conveyed with the walnut flooring and lower ceiling heights. an olive green canvas drapery is installed in the children’s bedrooms with a hidden track to create a flexible space arrangement for the future.

a bespoke wooden stair floats weightlessly in the background

the building rejects the outside scenery while creating an introspective microcosmos filled with natural light

a palette of white walls and bare concrete floors have been used in the interior

the windows on the second floor offers views of the context

the living room opens up to a private patio

the black box house, TAKATINA architects, kanagawa

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