Triangular Triumph: Kamiuma House by CHOP+ARCHI

Uniquely Shaped Tokyo Residence Wins Silver A' Design Award

The Kamiuma House, located in a densely populated district in Tokyo, stands out due to its unique triangular shape, formed by two roads meeting at a sharp angle. The clients, a couple and their daughter, sought a design that would offer a balance of privacy and connection to the surrounding environment, while also mitigating the direct sunlight that results from its south-eastern corner location.

The house's unique design features three voids that serve as intermediary spaces between the interior and exterior. These voids gently connect the house to the neighborhood while ensuring privacy. The structure occupies the entire lot, conforming to the site's triangular shape to avoid setback regulations. This innovative design approach eliminates dead space in the corners, typically a challenge in triangular buildings, and gives the rooms a softer shape.

The voids function as spaces that are continuous with the surrounding environment, residents, and neighborhood—in other words, with the exterior. They serve to "modulate connections" with the exterior, enabling just the right degree of interaction and ultimately leading to harmonious coexistence with the surrounding environment.

The Kamiuma House is a timber structure, with a total floor area of 107.82m2. The design project was realized with the help of OUVI and is located in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. The house's unique design and innovative use of space have earned it the prestigious Silver A' Design Award, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.

Through its unique design and thoughtful integration with the surrounding environment, the Kamiuma House by CHOP+ARCHI exemplifies the potential of innovative architectural design. It stands as a testament to the power of design in shaping our living spaces and our interactions with the environment.