This residential project, designed by Nori Architects for a young family with children, is a new prototype of urban housing on a tight budget. Situated on a narrow lot in Toyota City, Japan, almost sandwiched between two adjacent buildings, the resulting structure strives for openness and privacy. In response to the client’s wishes, the Tokyo-based architecture firm created a steel mesh screen that acts as a second skin to the main façade and creates a protected terrace between them.
With Toyota’s Minimal Home, the design team sought to achieve transparency without sacrificing privacy.
The interior opens up on three alternating levels, giving the impression of an enlarged space. On the ground floor there is a kitchen and dining room, as well as several utility rooms. The next floor is loosely connected with a height difference of 2m. Climbing the stairs, residents come across a living room and bathroom, while the top floor consists of a sleeping area. The master bedroom has a balcony formed on the vertical axis of the patio, also surrounded by a grid.
On a limited budget, the goal of this project was to bring some green and blue skies into the space to create a fun home full of life. A wide opening cuts through the southeast side of the building, creating a visual connection to the uninhabited landscape. The long north side is covered by an opaque wall forming a path to the entrance to “create a sense of distance from the city”. However, filtered natural light floods the interior spaces.
Year-round comfort and energy savings require thoughtful housing and equipment. The palette of materials is reduced to metal, glass and wood as protagonists, combined with inexpensive fittings. The result is a warm and cozy environment, while the wooden frame, foundation, pipes and electrical wiring are left unprotected. The entire structure has a simple layout and can be easily renovated or modified by the residents themselves. All in all, Toyota Minimal House is an affordable urban home with a small footprint that meets the needs of young Japanese families.
Contributors: Seiji Okawa (civil engineer), Yuki Tsutsumi (textile designer), Kozo Takase (equipment consultant), CHIPS LLC. (Lighting Consultant)
Lot area: 138.00 m2 Building area: 50.45 m2 Total building area: 88.30 m2 Building: TOKORO Photo: Jumpei Suzuki
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