‘HAT house’ by komada architects, tokyo, japan

image © toshihiro

all images courtesy of komada architects

tokyo-based architects takeshi and yuka komada are re-imagining the possibilities of the small urban infill lot with their ‘HAT house’, an elegant exercise in urban dwelling. located on a small corner site in the suginami-ku section of tokyo, the architects strove to combat urban congestion and redefine the relationship of interior and exterior by developing a symmetrical square plan with two open decks. these ‘wings’ make use of the corner site by creating a continuous horizontal first floor plane, interrupted only by the sliding glass doors.

this minimalist veranda is covered by a ‘hat-like’ asymmetrical roof. the glazing on all four sides of the house provides views of the nearby parkand visually widen the occupiable space. the basement level is a carpark, in keeping with the vertical thinking that so characterizes urban living. each corner of the two story house contains a different private program, among them, storerooms, toilets, a staircase, and most remarkably a komoreru room – a space of calm in the surrounding urban streetscape.

a view through one on the central axis. the balconies are protected by the overhanging roof

image © toshihiro

the cruciform space was envisioned as the bustling area of daily activity; the corner rooms provide structure and modules of privacy and circulation

image © toshihiro

numerous apertures afford views of the park entrance and dense urban streetscape, while still providing an separate space for study

image © toshihiro

(left) study room

(right) staircase.

image © toshihiro

the second floor contains the lofted bedrooms but keeps the symmetrical spatial organization and open plan

image © toshihiro

a sloped ceiling with a skylight allows for the maximum entrance of light despite the proximity to the neighboring property

image © toshihiro

floor plan / level -1: carpark plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

section

elevation

if you can’t get enough of houses like these, head over to huffington post to see 11 other small homes that live large.