Located above a retail space on one of central Tokyo's oldest and most vibrant shopping streets, this project transformed a former storage attic into a self-contained two-bedroom apartment. The existing third floor, part of a traditional timber house built on a concrete retail base, consisted of a series of small rooms accessible only through the owners' residence on the floor below. The brief called for an independent living space while making the most of the building's existing character.
The intervention completely reimagines the attic as a sequence of open and interconnected spaces that maximise daylight, ventilation and freedom of movement. A new external steel staircase provides independent access to the apartment, while a continuous floor of concrete tiles visually unifies the living, dining and kitchen areas. Existing timber columns and roof structures were carefully preserved, establishing a dialogue between the building's traditional Japanese construction and the contemporary architectural language introduced through the renovation.
At the heart of the project sits a teak-clad volume that accommodates the bedrooms and bathroom. Conceived as a flexible element within the open plan, a series of sliding doors allows the relationship between private and shared spaces to be adapted according to different modes of living. Whether creating an en-suite arrangement, separating bedrooms from the living area or opening the apartment entirely for family life, the layout offers multiple spatial configurations centred around the kitchen and living space.
Despite its location within a dense and lively urban environment, the apartment offers a calm and spacious atmosphere. A large south-facing window draws natural light deep into the interior while framing views of the surrounding roofscape and neighbourhood. Light materials and carefully proportioned furniture enhance the sense of openness, while the exposed timber structure provides warmth, texture and a tangible connection to the building's history.
The result is a contemporary home that balances openness and privacy, old and new, creating a tailored living environment that respects its context while offering a distinctly modern way of inhabiting the space.
location within 23-wards, tokyo, Japan
type adaptive reuse, restoration
program residential
area 78,6 sqm
status completed (2019)
client fam. kobayashi
architect leroy merks
contractor fujii construction
photographs nicola maniero
