suppose design office builds bunker-like concrete house in tokyo

suppose design office has completed ‘house in sangenjaya’, a bunker-like concrete home for a couple and their cat in tokyo, japan. the three-story building is developed to offer its residents a protected private space in the city. at the same time, its design establishes a connection with the surroundings, thanks to a continuous skylight on the upper part of the house.all images by toshiyuki yano photography

suppose design office has built the house in a quiet residential area, away from the bustling shopping area of tokyo’s sangenjaya district. located on a 55 sqm site right next to a parking lot, the project is wrapped in a concrete exterior that ensures total privacy for its inhabitants. while from the outside the building appears completely closed-off, as one walks past the front entrance, they encounter a spacious, light-filled home.

the interior is designed without any pillars to maintain a connection between inside and outside, and to create a space that would feel larger than the actual site area. ‘the composition of the house is designed to give an impression of expansiveness as you proceed up from the entrance to the top floor,’ notes suppose design office. at the upper part of the building, a skylight derived from the site’s conditions shifts as time flows, creating shadows in the living room in different ways throughout the day.

project info:

name: house in sangenjaya

architect: suppose design office

location: sangenjaya, setagaya-ku, tokyo, japan

site area: 54.92 m2

building area: 30.94 m2

total floor area: 93.71 m2

general contractor: twenty-first century constructions