KOMINORU's 'small house on a corner lot' maximizes a tokyo sliver

KOMINORU makes the most of a compact site

In a city where every square meter counts, KOMINORU Design’s Small House on a Corner Lot comes together like game of Tetris. Built with a compact, 30 square-meter footprint in Nakano City, Tokyo, the three-story wooden home demonstrates that good design doesn’t need a lot of room — just a sharp understanding of codes, air, and light.

The Tokyo-based design team cleverly exploits the building regulations of the Japanese city to carve out more volume than one might expect from such a modest footprint. The corner lot status, coupled with semi-fireproof building classification, allowed the architects to expand the building coverage ratio to 80%. The result is a vertical home that feels surprisingly spacious, even generous, despite its micro lot.

images © Katsumasa Tanaka

an exposed wood structure without sacrificing fire safety

KOMINORU Design’s Small House on a Corner Lot sidesteps the usual tradeoff between structural exposure and fire safety. By specifying 120mm-wide columns and beams, the architects could partially expose the wooden frame while maintaining regulatory compliance. Ceiling planes rest atop these beams, raising the perceived height of each floor and adding a sense of openness. It’s a nimble dance between tradition and technicality.

The team makes use of the sloping sky exposure plane on the south side to its advantage, creating a compact rooftop terrace that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. On the steeper north-facing slope, dictated by a 1:1.25 regulation, the architects turned challenge into storage. The bathroom, a space used less frequently, tucks neatly beneath the slanted roofline, with a thoughtfully integrated bathtub that nestles into the angular void.

the Small House on a Corner Lot rises three stories in Tokyo

passive ventilation through a rooftop wind tower strategy

KOMINORU Design transforms the tall, slender form of its Small House on a Corner Lot into a passive climate machine. A ventilation window at the rooftop level pulls air upward through the vertical volume, operating like a contemporary wind tower. Natural ventilation circulates with ease, keeping the interiors cool without relying heavily on mechanical systems.

The project reimagines the role of gardens in dense cities by going vertical. With limited space at ground level, the architects planted greenery above the eaves and lifted the garden to the second floor. From inside, residents can glimpse tree branches and leaves at eye level, lending an experience more typical of a larger, freestanding home.

With this residence, the architects demonstrate how tight constraints can yield unexpected results. It’s a study in how smart regulation use, passive systems, and a touch of green can transform a sliver of land into a full-fledged family home — no compromises necessary, just a shift in how we think about scale.

partially-exposed timber beams raise the ceiling without sacrificing fire safety