triangles and quadrangles

Japanese practice Kochi Architect’s Studio refurbished what was once a typical two-story apartment block in a suburban area of Tokyo, Japan.  More than half of the units of the old wooden apartment block were empty shells and the owner wanted to demolish it to build a new single-family house. However, the architect proposed to renovate the existing building into a single-family house instead of demolishing it.

In order to provide both private and communal spaces, the design cuts a large void in the center of the building’s structural grid, providing new sightlines among the home’s various volumes. The result is a dynamic and complex internal space, which provides the experience of connection. “We can see the scenery, in which triangles and quadrangles gathered, overlapped and intersecting each other, creating a diversity of spaces into one place” explains Kazuyasu Kochi.

To accentuate the geometric nature of the home, Kochi Architect’s Studio painted each 2D shape with a different, vibrant color.