atelier tsuyoshi tane's wooden tower house in todoroki emerges from tokyo's urban jungle

located in the residential district of todoroki ravine park in southwest tokyo, atelier tsuyoshi tane architects’ residence emerges from the surrounding trees in the shape of a wooden tower. due to its location, the project combines architectural elements from building typologies of both humid and arid areas around the world, as it is exposed to humid air coming through the dense forest, and to dry winds that blow up towards the sky. 

images © yuna yagi

the atelier, founded in 2017 by paris-based japanese architect tsuyoshi tane, has succeeded in creating an urban oasis in the heart of the city, offering a rich, diverse living experience to its residents. the house’s ground floor, a large space with walls made out of excavated local soil, is surrounded by a serene, jungle-like environment. the main entrance takes the form of a balcony located on the mezzanine and leading to the upper levels.

fit with large openings that connect the residence to the landscape and overlook the surrounding area, the two upper levels enclose various private spaces. the master bedroom occupies the first floor, whose eight-volume space looks towards eight different directions through large windows. extending over the dense vegetation, the second floor features a six-volume space, with openings that face six different directions towards the city.

project info:

name: todoroki house in valley

location: tokyo, japan

area: 188 m2

program: residence

architects: atelier tsuyoshi tane architects

project architects: naoki hayasaka, haruki nakayama

project team: mariko abe, matteo lunanova, ryosuke baba, nana sugiura, yosuke tsukamoto, kenji hada

structure: yasuhiro kaneda structure

construction: eiko construction