vaulted ceiling drapes over peaceful house + café by mikaduki architects in japan

House Café K by Mikaduki Architects

In a suburban residential area in Narashino City, Japan, Mikaduki Architects built a one-story single-family home with an integrated café. Designed for a retired couple who want to spend their time in peace, the project transforms an old two-story residence into a one-story building with the option of opening a house café. In this way, residents can enjoy their calmness and privacy, while still being involved in the local community. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of ‘House Café K’ is the vaulted ceiling that drapes over both the residence and the dining area, interacting with natural light to create a tranquil yet visually intriguing interior environment.

from the outside, the building presents a gray exterior with overlapping white boxes | image by Kazuhito Koizumi

two different worlds under the same vaulted roof

The project marks a new stage in life for the couple, who have now entered retirement age. The renovated house takes shape as a one-story structure with a house + café configuration. On the outside, the building presents a gray facade with white boxes that overlap to maintain a balance between openness and privacy. The design integrates a dining terrace on the street side to create a vibrant space that is easily accessible to locals. In addition, a patio is provided for the couple’s pets, which is connected to the living room. It is also located near the café terrace but still provides a high level of privacy, making it an ideal place for families to relax.

To enrich the experience of living in a single-story house that tends to be monotonous, the team of Mikaduki Architects focused on creating a curved ceiling that tops the entire structure. The dining area, which is used by locals features a light, draped ceiling that creates a lively atmosphere. On the other hand, the living area, where the family resides, has a dark vaulted ceiling that creates a calm atmosphere. Although spanned by the same vaulted ceiling, two distinctively different worlds emerge from the House Café K.

the design integrates a vibrant and easily accessible dining terrace | image by Munetaka Onodera

the vaulted ceiling enriches the character of the single-story house | image by Kazuhito Koizumi

a bright vaulted ceiling creates a lively character within the café | image by Munetaka Onodera

the team at Mikaduki Architects designed a curved ceiling that tops the entire structure | image by Munetaka Onodera

two distinctively different worlds emerge within the house/café | image by Munetaka Onodera

the living area, where the family resides, presents a dark vaulted ceiling that creates a calm atmosphere | image by Munetaka Onodera

the house is designed as a tranquil space where the occupants can enjoy peace and quiet | image by Munetaka Onodera

the project maintains the residents’ privacy while still allowing them to get involved in the local community | image by Kazuhito Koizumi

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image by Munetaka Onodera

image by Kazuhito Koizumi

project info:

name: House Café K
architects: Mikaduki Architects
lead designers: Ryota Kuboki + Takashi Yamaguchi
construction: Nakano Construction
location: Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture
site area: 277 sqm
building area: 115 sqm
total floor area: 96 sqm