YYAA inserts steel-clad 'toolbox house' on a long, narrow plot in osaka, japan

YYAA – yoshihiro yamamoto architects atelier has inserted the ‘toolbox house’ on a long, narrow plot in the downtown area of osaka city, japan. the elongated, single-story residence is clad in galvalume steel plating and topped with a triangular steel roof with several skylights. the roof’s eaves extend on the front, diagonally to the street, changing the monotonous cityscape around it.all images by yohei sasakura

YYAA – yoshihiro yamamoto architects atelier has designed the one-story house as a compact volume that is easy to use like a toolbox. its elongated floor plan, which fits the elongated site, is divided into a public space on the east side and an office on the west side, each connected to the home’s dining kitchen. the simple kitchen, made of plywood, is large enough to work with family and friends, and the dining area faces a small garden on the north side.

‘in the downtown area of osaka city, many projects are underway to rebuild small old wooden houses into high-rise condominiums,’ says YYAA. ‘cities are becoming safer and more efficient, but more inorganic and homogeneous. the client couple and his mother lived in a wooden building where office, warehouse and residence coexist, where they have long run a cosmetics company. however, the patchwork building had many structural and insulation problems and was not a comfortable place to live in old age, so they decided to demolish it and build a new one.’

the house is topped with a simple triangular steel roof and several skylights, which allow light to enter inside the building. by extending the roof and firewall towards the road, the studio has created an entrance that acts as a semi-outdoor multipurpose space for unloading, meetings and maintenance. the floor plan is divided into a public space on the east side and an office on the west side, both of which connect to the dining kitchen. the mother’s room is located close to the sanitary, and ensures she can live at a little distance from the couple.

‘the new home for families, who have a good understanding of the lifestyle that suits them, has once again become a vitality building, like weeds sprout from asphalt crevices,’ adds YYAA. ‘in the middle of the city, a grounded dwelling may be more luxurious than a condominium.’