KIBA Tokyo Residence

SAKAE Architects & Engineers

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The project is to rebuild a residential building at a small site in *KIBA Tokyo Japan. For adaptation of the various lifestyles and improving the added value of the building, we designed multiple spaces by using exceptional cases of maisonnette style housing to the building standard law. In addition, we attempted to put the building in harmony with the specific and historic site of KIBA which was known for lumber dealings.
*KIBA: "KI" means wood, and "BA" means town.

In order to maximize the potential of the small building despite the strict restrictions given by the size of the site, we designed three different types of housings, namely a residence for one person, a couple, and a family with children in a single building. Even though the size of the building is small, the different types of housings are being together, therefore constructed the fine community of a residence in a city.

There used to be lots of lumber retailers that had its lumbers piled up in front of the store in KIBA. However, since most of the business moved to New-KIBA, we no longer see the original landscape. Therefore, the facade of the building is designed by an image of the original landscape. The facade consists of two elements, the latticework, and the wooden louver. A design of the grid windows and sashes comes from the Japanese traditional latticework. The wooden louver reminds us of the original landscape which was the lumber leaned against the entrance.

We try to make new values and new lifestyles by the inside, and to show historical and cultural heritage by the outside. This architecture is designed to evoke people's memories of the site, but also, to ensure that the original landscape of KIBA will remain in people's memories in the future.