Akatsuka House is a minimalist home located in Tokyo, Japan, designed by MDS Co.Ltd. The architects wanted to create a residence that provided shelter against the natural environment and outside noises without completely isolating the residents from the outside. The controlled balance between the interior and its surrounding environment is symbolic of the subtle sense of distance among family members regarding privacy and communication.
The site was formerly an agricultural plot later converted into a residential zone, which is situated between rural and urban areas. As a result, the architects were aware in providing privacy from not only the street level, but from buildings that tower above the residence as well. To counter visibility from taller buildings, the architects utilized a pitched roof with extended eaves.
A calm space is situated at the center of the house, away from the outside noise. Three distorted walls are arranged in a ring shape to shelter the home from being seen by pedestrians on street level. The ring-shaped walls define the interior, and create diverse spaces corresponding to the size, direction, position, or thickness of the “openings” at the border of these walls.
Photos by Toshiyuki Yano.