House in Itabashi

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.