KIBA Tokyo Residence: A Small Residential Building Redefining Urban Living

Recreating the Classic Japanese Landscape in the Heart of Tokyo

Rebuilding a residential building on a small site in Tokyo presents unique challenges and opportunities. To adapt to various lifestyles and enhance the building's value, the KIBA Tokyo Residence incorporates exceptional cases of maisonnette-style housing within the constraints of building regulations. This approach creates multiple spaces that cater to different needs and preferences, fostering a sense of community within the city.

One of the standout features of the KIBA Tokyo Residence is its harmonious integration with the historic site, once renowned for lumber dealings. The building's facade, especially the wooden louvers, pays homage to this heritage, evoking the image of lumber standing in front of a lumber wholesaler's store. From the inside, the project aims to create new values and lifestyles, while from the outside, it showcases the lost landscape and cultural heritage of Edo Tokyo Kiba.

The technical specifications of the KIBA Tokyo Residence are impressive. With a scale of seven stories, the building utilizes a reinforced-concrete structure and covers a site area of 72.97 sqm, a building area of 58.17 sqm, and a floor area of 385.52 sqm. This compact yet spacious design demonstrates the ingenuity and efficiency required to maximize the potential of a small urban site.

Functioning as both a residence and a retail shop, the KIBA Tokyo Residence offers a unique living experience. Despite the limited space, the building manages to accommodate three different types of housing: for individuals, couples, and families with children. This achievement is made possible by leveraging the flexibility provided by maisonnette-style housing exceptions within the building standard law. By bringing together diverse residents, the KIBA Tokyo Residence fosters a vibrant and inclusive urban community.

The KIBA Tokyo Residence project commenced in 2016 and was completed in 2019. Located in the heart of Tokyo, Japan, it addresses the pressing issues of deteriorating old buildings and the excessive number of open spaces on small sites. By showcasing the potential of a small, captivating residence in the city center, this project offers a compelling solution to these challenges. Furthermore, it strives to recreate the landscape of Edo Tokyo Kiba, which has been lost due to urbanization.

Eisuke Yamazaki, along with Toshio Yoshikawa and Hiroshi Sakaguchi, overcame various creative, technical, and research challenges during the design process. Constructing a seven-story reinforced-concrete building with only four columns on a small and fragile ground proved to be a structural feat. Additionally, the intricate details of the wooden louvers, spanning up to three meters in length and reaching a height of twenty-three meters, required careful consideration of wind pressure and load-bearing capacity.

The KIBA Tokyo Residence is a testament to the power of innovative design in transforming urban living. By reimagining the possibilities of a small residential building, Eisuke Yamazaki and his team have created a space that not only caters to diverse lifestyles but also preserves and celebrates the cultural heritage of Tokyo. This project's recognition as an Iron A' Design Award winner in the Architecture, Building, and Structure Design category further solidifies its status as a well-designed, practical, and innovative creation that contributes to a better world.