Designed for a French–Japanese family who regularly hosts friends and relatives, this house is conceived as a flexible living environment within a limited footprint. Time is treated as a design material.
Residence @ Itabashi, Tokyo Design: Romane Kunugiza, Shota Kaneko, HoLing Cheng /SNARK Inc. Construction: Koushou Inc. Steel products: gambit Total area: 70㎡ Completion: Jan. 2026 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This project is a wooden house built on a corner lot within a lush green urbanization control area, where two roads intersect. Because it was anticipated that developing the land—including farmland conversion, obtaining development permits, and installing a septic tank—would be a challenging and time-consuming process before a residence could be built, the house was designed as a compact L-shaped plan with a total floor area of under 100 square meters. As a response to the clients’ wish to achieve a rich lifestyle within a compact footprint, the design explores the idea of “architecture as furniture.” At the boundary between the entrance and the living-dining-kitchen, as well as between the children’s room and the corridor, shelving units were used instead of plain walls, integrating partitions with storage. In the living room, a level difference and a low shelf along the window serve multiple functions—as storage, a TV stand, or even a bench where one can sit and enjoy the view on sunny days. The project grew from the idea that spaces become richer when they allow room to imagine and experiment with different ways of living day to day.
Residence @ Takasaki, Gunma Design: Rei Oshima, Mami Umayahara /SNARK Inc. Construction: Sakura Construction Total area: 95.94㎡ (1F/50.10㎡ 2F/45.84㎡) Completion: Sep. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
House in Tourimachi, the two-family house with 3 stories is located in Takasaki city, Gunma. It takes one hour from Tokyo by the Shinkansen. The site has a frontage of 6 meters, depth of 13 meters, which makes a 89㎡ long and narrow land shape. On the south is the 4 meters wide road, sharing northeastern border with a cemetery and otherwise surrounded by three-storey houses. The client wanted a well lighted and ventilated double house duplex to share with their parents. We designed the ground floor for the parents and the 2nd and 3rd floor for the children of the family. Considering the cemetery as a universal opened space located besides residential area, we were able to create a preferable atmosphere together with a certain level of privacy. Windows opened toward the cemetery and the three-layered stairwell on the northern part provided a steady amount of light and ventilation. And by sharing the whole atmosphere within the house, while having diferrent life style, the two generations, will be able to cherish their relationship more. The main design of this architecture is the roof wrapping up the whole house, embodying the cohabitation of two generations, and working as a shade at the same time with the southward expanded eaves. This house has a slab beam sloping irrelevantly against the plan, and this helps connect the room within this compact space without constructing a pillar inside. There is no wall built laterally to the beams, the beam creates a separation and delivers an open space. The wall gives direction to the space instead of being the end of it. The whole architecture is connected with an environmental stairwell, free line beams, and the roof wrapping them up.House in Tourimachi, the two-family house with 3 stories is located in Takasaki city, Gunma. It takes one hour from Tokyo by the Shinkansen. The site has a frontage of 6 meters, depth of 13 meters, which makes a 89㎡ long and narrow land shape. On the south is the 4 meters wide road, sharing northeastern border with a cemetery and otherwise surrounded by three-storey houses.The client wanted a well lighted and ventilated double house duplex to share with their parents. We designed the ground floor for the parents and the 2nd and 3rd floor for the children of the family. Considering the cemetery as a universal opened space located besides residential area, we were able to create a preferable atmosphere together with a certain level of privacy.Windows opened toward the cemetery and the three-layered stairwell on the northern part provided a steady amount of light and ventilation. And by sharing the whole atmosphere within the house, while having diferrent life style, the two generations, will be able to cherish their relationship more. The main design of this architecture is the roof wrapping up the whole house, embodying the cohabitation of two generations, and working as a shade at the same time with the southward expanded eaves. This house has a slab beam sloping irrelevantly against the plan, and this helps connect the room within this compact space without constructing a pillar inside.
Residence @ Takasaki, Gunma Design: Sunao Koase, Naoki Mashiyama /SNARK Inc. ＋ Shin Yokoo /OUVI Structural engineer: Shin Yokoo /OUVI Construction: 宮下工業 Site area: 87.79㎡ Built area: 44.11㎡ Floor area: 108.59㎡ Number of floors: 3 Structure: Wood Timeline: Design Sep.2012-Sep.2013 Construction Oct.2013-Jun.2014 Completion: Jul. 2014 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
Located at the foot of Mt. Haruna in suburban Maebashi, this wooden two-story residence was born from the clients’ deliberate selection of a site at the confluence of two rivers. The surrounding landscape is defined by an organic network of small waterways that meander through fields and homes, creating a pastoral scene where the boundaries between the natural and the built are blurred. While currently an expansive agricultural area, it is a region on the cusp of suburban transformation. The clients, drawn to the wild abundance of wildflowers and the richness of the riverbanks, sought a home that felt deeply rooted in the soil rather than detached from it. The architecture traces the trajectory of the river, taking the form of a slender volume that pivots at three distinct angles. By connecting the vertices of each section, the roof forms a rhythmic ridgeline that not only moderates the building’s scale but also echoes the surrounding landscape—from the flow of the water and the trees on the sandbanks to the distant mountain silhouettes. This strategic placement carves out a garden that remains permeable to the landscape while providing a sanctuary from the harsh western sun and northern winds. The interior is conceived as a continuous sequence, where the entrance, kitchen, and living areas flow together with minimal partitioning. Instead of physical walls, the varied planes of the ceiling loosely delineate the different zones. Within each volume, two distinct roof finishes coexist, creating a spatial depth where functions overlap and boundaries dissolve depending on one’s vantage point. As the undulating rural terrain is increasingly leveled for suburban development, the design uses the remaining topography—the rivers and sandbanks—as anchors for daily life. The result is a residence intended to evolve in harmony with the land, preserving the memory of the landscape within the rhythm of domestic life.
A vertical void makes relationshipsA wooden 2-story house for a family built in the downtown area of Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, which has also a hair salon that runs by the owner. Parking lots are set to the front road and the opposite side of the house is used as a private garden. While the hair salon is opening whole other rooms should be silent. This family has 2 children though they might make some noise after school or Sunday afternoon. The vertical void is sandwiched between the hair salon and their activity rooms and the vertical void solves to sound and vibration problem in a wooden structure especially. Of course it is better ventilation and getting sun light, part of circulation.expose/envelopeThe wooden structure is built to support a divided 2 volumes. But in the interior, the structure is not thought of as a structural frame which is thought of as a finishing material. This means that the interior is designed by partially exposing or enveloping of the structural frame. The hair salon and living room are trapezoidal as floor shape. In this case, if the beams are arranged at equidistant, the beam height will increase according to the lengths. Utilizing this, we envelop the beams, which became larger due to the longer span on the second floor to put the equipment inside it. And partially expose the beams to keep the ceiling height of the hair salon. On the other hand, in order to unify the beam height of the roof, the distance between the beams is adjusted. As a result, roof beams created a sense of depth in the living room interesting in perspective view. The idea of “expose/envelop” is also related to design the doors, door handles, benches, counters, etc. By exposing or enveloping partially, the structure frame is weakened as physically, and showing it more materially. Thereby we could handle a structural frame as an element of the interior, such as furniture. We are designing architecture by thinking in terms of “structural frame or interior element”, means not what Structural frame becomes interior element as straightforward.A wooden 2-story house for a family built in the downtown area of Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, which has also a hair salon that runs by the owner. Parking lots are set to the front road and the opposite side of the house is used as a private garden. While the hair salon is opening whole other rooms should be silent. This family has 2 children though they might make some noise after school or Sunday afternoon. The vertical void is sandwiched between the hair salon and their activity rooms and the vertical void solves to sound and vibration problem in a wooden structure especially. Of course it is better ventilation and getting sun light, part of circulation.expose/envelope
This two-story wooden residence in Kiryu, Gunma, occupies a unique L-shaped lot with two street frontages. By positioning the house centrally to separate the parking from the garden, the design aligns all primary living spaces to the south, featuring a window nook that offers quiet views of the greenery. The plan fosters a lifestyle integrated with an evolving garden, while the materials and color palettes were meticulously balanced to harmonize the client’s antique collection with newly curated lighting.
Residence @ Kiryu, Gunma Design: Rei Oshima, Takeo Arika, Noriko Koba /SNARK Inc. Construction: Sakura Construction Total area: 92.74㎡ (1F/46.37㎡ 2F/46.37㎡) Completion: Jun. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This project is a renovation of a traditional two-story wooden house—approximately 230 square meters in size—located in Gosen City, Niigata Prefecture. Originally home to three generations, the house is now occupied by the client and their son. The goal was to create a more compact living environment suited to a two-person household. The renovation focused on approximately half of the ground floor—an area large enough to accommodate daily life—and was enclosed with insulation for improved energy efficiency. On the opposite side of the central hallway lie a guest room and Buddhist altar room with a spacious engawa. It is a calm and pleasant space, where views of the garden can be enjoyed through open shoji screens and sliding doors in spring and autumn. To allow the house to be used more flexibly across the seasons, large sliding partitions were installed to separate the renovated and unrenovated areas. Finishes such as the floorboards, tiles, and other materials were carefully selected to complement the existing decorative elements—such as feature windows, coffered ceilings, and amber-toned floorboards—creating a balance of contrast and harmony so that the renovated area feels integrated with the overall structure. Amid the growing number of similar houses affected by population decline and an aging society in rural Japan, this project may offer one possible approach to reimagining traditional homes for contemporary life.
Residence @ Gosen, Niigata Design: Shota Kaneko /SNARK Inc. Construction: Daiwa Homes Total area: 239.32㎡ (1F/185.49㎡ 2F/53.83㎡) Completion: Nov. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This project is a renovation of an apartment unit in a verdant housing complex in Hikarigaoka, Tokyo. Designed for a family of three, the home incorporates a variety of functional zones, including a study for work and a small bookshelf nook in the living room for casual tasks. Lauan plywood is used as the finishing material throughout the space. In the living room, subtle variations—like shifting the wood grain orientation and adjusting the tone of the oil finish—lend each area its own character while preserving a sense of overall harmony. By applying the same material in different ways, the design creates a rich and varied living environment that reflects the nuances of everyday life.
Residence @ Hikarigaoka, Tokyo Design: Yu Yamada, Mami Umayahara /SNARK Inc. Construction: KOUSHOU Steel products: gambit Total area: 85.22㎡ Completion: Nov. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This is a two-family house located in a residential neighborhood of Itabashi, Tokyo, with the parents living on the first floor and the children’s family on the second. The first floor is designed for simplicity and ease of movement, centering around the bedroom and wet areas, with windows facing a neighboring pathway that bring in a sense of the changing seasons. On the second floor, the layout is divided lengthwise into private rooms and the living-dining-kitchen area. The high ceiling allows for lofts above the private rooms, used to store books and hobby items. At the landing of the staircase connecting the two households, a small study has been placed to provide a quiet and focused workspace, set apart from the other rooms. By structuring the house vertically, the design makes the most of the limited space while aiming to create a home that balances daily life with the belongings and activities of its residents.
Residence @ Itabashi, Tokyo Design: Sunao Koase, (Ayaka Seki) /SNARK Inc. Structural design: Shusaku Ota /Paterson Inc. Construction: Eishin Construction Total area: 94.38㎡ (1F/47.34㎡ 2F/47.04㎡ loft/21.73㎡ balcony/7.92㎡) Completion: Nov. 2024 Photo: Yasuyuki Takaki
This is a renovation project of a room in a vintage condominium in Yoyogi, Tokyo. The original room was divided by partitions and large beams, giving the space a claustrophobic feel. In the renovation, we eliminated the partitions and installed a curved bench and kitchen counter that straddle the room, creating a sense of openness in the living and dining areas.The bench top and countertop design are common, and both use unglazed tiles to emphasize the sense of unity between the living and dining rooms. At the back of the living room, a space with a raised floor that can also be used as a bedroom was created, with a low bench and comfortable carpet for relaxing on the floor.
Residence @ Yoyogi, Tokyo Design: Sunao Koase, Shota Kaneko /SNARK Inc. Client: SHARE COMPANY Construction: Repos-design Total area: 118.30㎡ Completion: Oct. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This project is the renovation of a unit in a high-rise apartment building in central Tokyo. The client’s request was to take full advantage of the panoramic views from the upper floors and to maximize natural light throughout the space. To achieve this, the layout was reconfigured as a spacious open-plan room without partition walls. The wet areas were relocated closer to the entrance, allowing for the open layout, while also allowing for a future conversion to a three-bedroom layout—offering flexibility with potential resale in mind. Curved shelving was introduced to gently define zones within the space, striking a balance between openness and a sense of comfort. The flooring was laid on a diagonal to draw the eye toward the large living room windows, enhancing the sense of spaciousness. Exposed concrete columns and beams add a strong architectural presence, and where they intersect with soft curves in the ceiling and wainscoting, a dynamic contrast between strength and softness emerges. For the finishes, subtly textured materials such as Jolypate, Mortex, and stone were selected to create visual depth and to highlight the unique character of each surface. A neutral color palette was maintained to complement the client’s collection of art and furniture, ensuring a cohesive atmosphere throughout the space.
Residence @ Roppongi, Tokyo Design: Rei Oshima, Shota Kaneko /SNARK Inc. Project management & Design direction: Masayuki Sakurai, Yusuke Kurii /TRAIL HEADS Construction: BEANS Total area: 155.84㎡ Completion: Dec. 2023 Photo: Tomooki Kengaku
Located along the verdant banks of the Tama River, this renovation of a vintage condominium unit draws inspiration from its distinctive surroundings and tiled architecture. The design distills the building’s exterior identity—specifically its unglazed terracotta and white glazed tiles—into the interior through a refined material palette. Textured carpets and oak veneers finished with translucent white oil harmonize with the facade’s materiality, while a deliberate contrast in the kitchen and wet areas serves to accentuate the unique character of each zone. A significant challenge was the building’s rigid management regulations, which initially prohibited any deviations from the original specifications. Through persistent negotiation, we secured approval for layout changes and material selections that do not alter the unit’s technical performance. This project established a vital precedent for the complex, proposing a model where private renovations and communal design mutually inform and elevate the collective value of the architecture.
Residence @ Tamagawa, Tokyo Design: Yu Yamada, Mako Shimanuki /SNARK Inc. Construction: KOUSHOU Steel products: gambit Total area: 114.43㎡ Completion: Jul. 2024 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
