Houzz Tour: A Tokyo Home With an Unusual Rooftop Terrace
A triangular roof cutout opens up a central patio to sun and sky while offering privacy from nearby high-rises
This new house in Tokyo is just a block from tall apartment buildings that overlook the home. The homeowners asked their architects to design a home that offered them privacy and seclusion while allowing in as much light as possible. The designers fulfilled their wish by creating an unusual terrace that enables the couple to enjoy the sunshine and eat meals outside in good weather without worrying about being seen by neighbors above.
The terrace serves as an outdoor living and dining area. The roof is 24 inches thick, made from wooden beams reinforced with steel.
“Here, I can sunbathe without hesitation,” the wife says of the terrace. The large triangular cutout opening brings blue sky into the private space while the high-rises are hidden from view.
The other special feature of this terrace is the 59-inch-wide fiberglass-reinforced plastic grating that was used for the floor next to the outer wall. The husband works for a large grating manufacturer, and he made use of the grating in his own home. The grating is lighter and more durable than steel, and allows air and light to pass through — letting sunlight fall on the garden in front of the lower level.
Peeking out from the corner of the terrace is a longstalk holly tree, which keeps its leaves year-round. When the breeze blows through the leaves, they make a soft rushing sound.
The other special feature of this terrace is the 59-inch-wide fiberglass-reinforced plastic grating that was used for the floor next to the outer wall. The husband works for a large grating manufacturer, and he made use of the grating in his own home. The grating is lighter and more durable than steel, and allows air and light to pass through — letting sunlight fall on the garden in front of the lower level.
Peeking out from the corner of the terrace is a longstalk holly tree, which keeps its leaves year-round. When the breeze blows through the leaves, they make a soft rushing sound.
The bath, which looks out to the second-floor terrace, is equipped with window blinds, but most of the time, bathers leave them partway open to enjoy the view.
The longest side of the triangular roof cutout is about 26 feet, while the adjacent side is about 21 feet, and the opposite site is about 18 feet. The view through the triangle changes depending on where you stand.
The sofa and table in the living room as well as the dining table and chairs are from Actus. To the left is a built-in storage shelf.
The sofa and table in the living room as well as the dining table and chairs are from Actus. To the left is a built-in storage shelf.
There is an uninterrupted view from the kitchen to the terrace. The white wall on the left side of the dining area faces south, which offers a less appealing view than the rich greenery of the west side, so the south window is intentionally long and narrow. The right wall contains a skylight to let in the sun.
The kitchen was made to order by Madre. Above the storage cabinets, a window lets in the light, and the center panel can be opened and closed as needed for air circulation.
A sliding door in the living room leads to a hallway and staircase to the basement. The bathroom can be glimpsed in the center of this photo.
The walls and floor of the bathroom are covered with mosaic tiles, and the simple, extra-large sink prevents water from splashing out.
At the back of the second floor terrace (shown in red) are two poles for hanging laundry to dry. The tucked-away spot gets plenty of sun.
Light pours through the window in the second-floor dining room wall, outlining the texture of the wall below. The wall is made of Jolypate, an acrylic material resistant to fading.
Each step in the staircase contains a front-opening storage drawer.
The homeowners also requested a large walk-in closet, so a 126-square-foot closet was designed in the space. It also acts as the entry into the bedroom to set the bedroom deeper inside the house and preserve the calmness of the space.
The second bedroom belongs to the husband. At the back right is a dedicated study, seen in the next photo.
The study is 49 square feet. It may be small, but it’s a calm and quiet space. The window faces south and overlooks the ruscus-leaf bamboo growing on the property.
The two bedrooms share the first-floor terrace, which overlooks the green space on the west side. The built-in shelves on the terrace can be used as benches or as a place to set planters.
This is a full view of the south side, which contains the main entrance. “I thought it would be interesting if the volume of the second level appeared to be hovering slightly above the ground,” Yamagata says. “Creating different spaces within a single home is my specialty,” he says, and notes that he would like to incorporate relaxing, roofed outdoor spaces for sunbathing and open-air dining into his future designs.
The outer wall of the second level is made of Galvalume steel spandrel. Spandrel is metal veneer formed to hide the screws that hold it in place. Not only does it hide the seams between plates, but, as a design feature, it also breaks up the monotony of the walls, adding to the beauty of the building.
The outer wall of the second level is made of Galvalume steel spandrel. Spandrel is metal veneer formed to hide the screws that hold it in place. Not only does it hide the seams between plates, but, as a design feature, it also breaks up the monotony of the walls, adding to the beauty of the building.
The house they had inherited from one of their fathers was getting old, and the kids had left the nest, so the couple decided to build this new house where they could be alone together. They enjoy the luxury of sunbathing and outdoor dining without worrying about being watched by the neighbors.
The scenic location of the house ensures a livable environment, and not only does the triangular cutout offer a welcome view from the inside, but it also looks striking from the outside. If you visit after dark, you can see how the lights inside reflect on the white walls, and how the whole building seems to float like a giant lantern on a pool of green.
Builder: Hatano Komuten
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The scenic location of the house ensures a livable environment, and not only does the triangular cutout offer a welcome view from the inside, but it also looks striking from the outside. If you visit after dark, you can see how the lights inside reflect on the white walls, and how the whole building seems to float like a giant lantern on a pool of green.
Builder: Hatano Komuten
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their 50s
Location: Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
Size: 1,688 square feet (157 square meters)
Designers: Yo Yamagata Architects and Kazunobu Hamazaki of And Associates (architecture) and Sakane
(structural design)
Speaking about the the design, Yo Yamagata says, “The idea was to create a contrast between the first-floor and second-floor spaces.” He exchanged ideas with Kazunobu Hamazaki of And Associates, who collaborated on the project as a designer.
The first floor, a half-basement sunk about 5 feet into the ground, gives an impression of being somewhat closed off from the world. The bedrooms and study are located here.
In contrast, the second floor offers a feeling of freedom and space. It is a simple box with a corner cut out of the top. The living room and bathroom face out on the second-floor terrace.
This photograph shows the view from the southwest side of the home. In the foreground, the west side of the building sits next to a sloping planted area that can be seen from the master bedroom. The low plants within the property line are ruscus-leaf bamboo, which stays green all winter.