NEVER TOO SMALL: Japanese Stacked Box House, Tokyo 51sqm/549sqft
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Clad in large sheets of waved Galvalume steel and moulded cement plates, Unemori Architects maximised the striking House Tokyo's 26m2 plot size by incorporating varying ceiling heights and a mix of open and enclosed spaces. Spread across two levels, the semi-basement ground floor houses a bedroom, bathroom, storage area, and a laundry tucked-away beneath the stairs. The first floor is dedicated to the open plan kitchen, dining and living area which features a slim-line sofa suspended from the lowered ceiling. Lauan ply cabinetry extends beyond the first floor and floats overhead the basement level and entrance landing, providing storage for the shoes. A series of large, strategically placed windows fill the house with light through-out the day whilst ensuring the client still have their privacy.
#smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign
Eps. 175
Project Name: House Tokyo
Architect: unemori-archi.com/
Produced by New Mac Video Agency
Creator: Colin Chee
Director: Nam Tran
Cinematographer: Nam Tran
Producer: Nam Tran
Editor: Nam Tran
Music: Yehezkel Raz - As Long as in the Heart & Louis Adrien - Waltzing in a Dream
This is one of the very few homes in this channel that doesn't require a sacrifice of household appliances or personal possessions and privacy within the house's layout, for the sake of tiny home and minimalism! Not my favourite design, but due to the elements named above, it is indeed one of the most unique!
The Japanese homes are always the best, the most thoughtful, unique, and modest in their own way.
Agree 1000%. :D
This is literally the jungle gym of homes. What a unique and fun take on design.
Glad to see another home with the bathroom functions compartmentalized. Someone can shower and get dressed, and it doesn't stop someone else using the toilet or doing make up etc.
This is very common in Japanese homes, regardless of size
12.75 sq. wa/51 sq.m is a huge plot of land. That crazy layering boxes design he implemented here wastes a lot of space. Could have just gone with a full scale cube and extend higher upward and create a really huge house.
Mind blowing. Going to have to watch it again. It’s clever in the very best sense, giving honor to each space. The design is so fitted to the urban atmosphere and the needs of residents who will not miss anything. Bravo!!! Came back to this comment say - the kitchen is positively gargantuan by Tokyo standards!!! What’s genius about the way the architect stacked the floors is that the highest point is quite limited but gives such a generous feeling to the entire house.
Genius way of maximising space 👏👏👏 And I also love that he designed the bedroom with the future in mind - possible to convert into 2 rooms and access to either rooms will not be a problem.
Why would anyone do that? I do appreciate this channel featuring bigger houses instead of rooms masquerading as "apartments".
Space is very tight in Tokyo and houses of this size is nothing unusual. So what seems like "rooms" to you is actually an apartment in Tokyo.
Just in case a couple split up but neither can afford to move out... 😂
I wouldn't really call these 2 floors of empty space above dining room maximising anything
The only think that I can think of changing is putting a rail around the entrance level to avoid falling into the storage moat downstairs after a late night out. Safety first. 😉
Would also be very dangerous for children
I wouldn't because I'm a dumbass and would want to be able to just hop down from there...
I often see designs like this in cool Japanese houses, even large ones. A sheer drop from a stair or landing with no rail. If they have really small children they will put up a net or something. They seem to think an adult or child of six or older will have enough sense not to fall. I also would fall at some point though, or be very afraid of it!
any time one needs a ladder for anything in a home, i, as a self affirmed klutz, find myself cringing inside!
@@ags1370 Me and my vertigo will stay away then.
YESS! One of my favourite takes on contemporary Japanese small living.
This house feels a lot more spacious than what you would expect for something under 600 square feet. I feel deep down in my bones that I would love living in this space. Quirky, cozy and thought out down to the last detail. Genius!!
One of the best spaces I've seen here. Great use of windows and levels. It's quirky - a bit typical of the other Tokyo houses featured on this channel.
Congrats to the architects. They've created such a unique and inspiring space!
This video is pure poetry. The narration in Japanese, the beautiful interior design, the natural light, the music! Thank you for the quality content
This is such a beautiful house! You will never feel too boxed in, even though it has a small footprint. The public space is so bright and airy and open. The bedroom and private space is so cosy. The only thing I can't imagine is turning it into two bedrooms. Since the shower door is glass, this house seems best for a couple who lives alone
This house feels so weird but it's so beautiful and well designed to me. I really appreciate this space.
It can't be a coincidence, all the houses from Japan featured here are just amazing, it seems like they did understand how to build small places without making them feel small.
Absolutely love this home - maximizing the functionality while still being stylish, unique, and having all that the owners need!
Japanese are masters of micro minimalist spaces.
The layout and the space is so unique and whimsical. The tour just made me happy. It's the kind of place I wanna try to live in.
It's always a pleasure when the video about the Japanese apartment or house. Great work with space and so many unusual things! Bravo to the architect who designed all of this. It would be great to know the feedback from the owners but I love the idea of this separate world inside the house was made and enjoyed the video.
This architect is a genius!!! This place feels so cozy and useful at the same time. One of the best homes I've ever seen!
I usually don't like living in the basement but this basement is FIRE!!!! I LOVE IT
This is so cool. I love the idea of going 'downstairs' to sleep. Looks so cosy. What a stunning house!
I love it too, but I wonder what flooding is like in the area. In Japan there are a lot of torrential rains and even mud slides. I am sure the architect thought of that, but I would have liked to hear what they did to mitigate those concerns. Even in NYC that is a problem for basement apartments when it rains really hard. I wonder if there was a limit to how high this structure could be given the neighborhood. Amazing design though. I love the layered feeling and all the ways to "peek through" the house to different levels.
Yes! Bedroom areas are so often upstairs where it's hot. Basement is better--cooler for better sleep and smarter use of resources.
This space is super clever. I loved the bathroom bedroom arrangement so much. I felt the metal stairs would be horrific to fall down or to bump your head on. Parts of them looked really sharp. The shape of them was perfect. I loved the living space, but found the tv would be totally across the room and not that much fun to play video games on or watch if you were not seated at the dining table. I found the sofa was amazing and would easily double as guest sleeping space as needed. I might have added a softer surround for that sofa. The clean lines and simple pallet of materials is perfect. The color scheme was cool and airy. The space feels like you can seriously relax and breathe in there. The air circulation was a great idea to offset the temp fluctuations caused by the heights. I also loved the skip floor as I think he called it. what an amazing idea for smaller spaces. we often see that in larger homes, but it seems like we have been missing out on the full potential of this idea in smaller spaces. Even though this space is called "small" it really has everything and feels REALLY large. COOL!!!
How clever to have two storeys and split the entrance level between them.
I'm amazed, the design is brilliant, all the elements talk to each other without forcing unnecessary constructions and separations, I absolutely loved everything😍
I think this is a remarkable design. Love it. I do wish the ladders and bottom of stairs weren't metal. I love simplicity and the beauty of the wood work. Plenty of room to store stuff. Also, a great way to exercise and stay slim with all the different levels of getting from point A to point B. Congrats. ❤
japanese homes featured on this channel are always so damn experimental... but through experiments genius happens I guess ! not my type, but I appreciate the originality
This place feels so cosy and livable in a really practical day-to-day way!
This is by far one of my favourite places I’ve seen so far that’s so logical , simple and practical for every function with a bit of fun!
Love how this house strikes a balance between functionality and spaciousness despite its small size. The skip floors and clever storage solutions are brilliant! 🏠
This house is perfection! Every detail in it is a brilliant one. Thank you Never too Small for another great video.
Such a wonderfully harmonious home. A new favourite.
I love these Japanese houses with all the crazy open levels. Just very fun use of space.
I love to see how small spaces are designed for different personalities and needs. Great space.
this house is a real gem. Love it
Treasure designer， made this small house spacious and satisfied all the necessary functions. Great job👍
The house is very beautiful and livable
Thank you for sharing. Truly a lovely and well thought out and spacious home . 🇬🇧💛🤍
Gorgeous use of space. Window placement is extremely thoughtful. I love that recirculating fan.
Clever and beautiful. Such a great place to live.
Wow, what an interesting, unique design! I also loved that the narration was in Japanese in this video as I always prefer when owners/designers speak in their original language, it gives more character to the story and I'm ok to read subtitles.
I think this small home is absolutely genius!! What a fascinating design! Excellent use of vertical space with design ideas I’ve never seen before. I actually loved the bed in the center of the room and the fact that it was downstairs.
A very clever design! Love the ‘can’t be seen’ storage! Love this home!!
What a brilliant design. The house feels so spacious and welcoming
I love the colour palette and wish my home could look like this..❤
I love the use of space, clever, well thought out and functional design. I’d live here happily.
Finally a small place in japan with some actual thought and design put behind it! This place is amazing, clean, minimal and maximizes the small space.
I love this little house. Small yet spacious. Metal holding Wood. Unconventionally organized. I would love to live in such a house :)
this is one of the greatests house designs i've seen. pure genius
Smart, cozy, and beautiful! Very well done!
This is actually one of the smarter designs I've seen on NTS. Amazing use of space.
I have seen many never too small house video, but House was an amazing like something unique is there I love its architecturing, its layout and its interior
Lots of great details, especially the use of the same tiles inside and out! Excellent cladding choice too! 😎✌️
The space is so interesting that the architect revolutionize the floor plan from typical 1-2 floors to 1,½,&1 ½ floors.
I love the multiple levels! The design is well thought out and the space seems much bigger!
what an excellent use of space!
In the United States, there is a kind of floor plan called a “split level”. Basically, there’s a foyer or entrance area, which splits into an upstairs and basement. It’s out of style these days because the ceiling height is usually a little low for today’s standards, but in the past it was a way to make small affordable houses with a little more room for preference. This kind of house reminds me of that.
I remember visiting a friend in Mount Vernon Washington. They had the split level home as you suggested. Top floor was bedrooms and bathrooms, lower floor was kitchen and living room. They also had a basement they called a rumpus room I think. They said it was done like this because it was raining all the time. Needed a place to play and room to exercise. All this and a way for parents not to be disturbed by the noise.
You realize that this home is the same measurements as some peoples living rooms, you can think of it as a North American split level, but it’s smaller than what anyone in North America is used to living in, it could be compared to a New York apartment
Wow. So elegant. I also had no idea I could get lost weaving through all the rooms in such a small space. It felt fun.
You have to be young.. but what intelligence of space, and what fun ! The best of all japanese episodes so far for me.
What a clever design. Overall, the house is modern, functional and cozy.
Very interesting design. The dining/living area doesn't seem very comfortable or anyplace to hang out. The front entrance could have been made to access one of the floors with stairs and created better flow. There is so much height that feels like wasted space. I agree with other comments about safety.
gorgeous design and use of space...really appreciate this.
Love the placement of the bathroom and toilet.
Brilliant use it putting the bedroom in the basement to be more of a cocoon and the main living area very light and spacious. Well done! 👏
Well it’s certainly unique! I know space is at a premium over there and I think they have made the most of the space they have for sure.
This concept showcases the beauty of simplicity and functionality in a bustling metropolis like Tokyo. ❤❤
what a dope home with a huge personality. i love it.
Looks great and very functional indeed
Such a clever design and so calming. I like the hanging “sofa” which looks as if it could be used as a spare bed.
3:09 what a cute shot with him peering around the corner and quietly disappearing. Beautiful home as well, just not for me as I'd definitely bump my head on ceilings and corners, but very well designed and thought through!
This space is fascinating. And very calming.
Translator did a great job 👏🏼
just gorgeous in every single way!!
The vertical space design is awesome. I wish I could have a house like this.
another genius Japanese design!
Weird design, but interesting. Some of the elements are great. Love that the "big windows" are entire sliding glass doors, but I'd like to be able to go out and sit on the roof.
It feels spacious and elegant
Brilliant and unique design so impressed with the amount of storage. The decor is not to my taste but this is a great example of small living design.
It is beautiful , very aesthetic and cleverly designed, but I can't help feeling that this is a very complicated layout and I didn't feel the impression of space despite the high ceilings. I'd be always worrying about falling down on those steps and banging my head on the lower ceiling >
My perception too, could not express it better!
My grandpa grew up in a multi level bamboo house and he really likes this design. Says it gives him nostalgia. My fat 20 year old body could never.
So beautiful!!!
Amazing, thank you!
This is amazing! What a triumph.
Wow, I like it! Very unique and interesting design. Definitely has a pleasant aesthetic and I especially love all the big windows to let in the sunlight.
I would just add a few more plants and pops of color here and there. Fabulous!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. - and when the owners move back to the countryside, I would love to rent this house ❤
I love this house. I’d love to live there. It’s so light and airy
The amount of storage is amazing! Dividing the bedroom into 2 rooms is ridiculous, but other than that, love it.
this home surely could be rent as Airbnb in the future! so unique
amazingly genius design!! ❤❤❤
Perfectly tiny home without any compromise
Absolutely love the triangular stair step! Very simple, very clever. House looks very light and pleasant. Video was going amazing up until they showed us the bedroom, what was that. Anyway, glad to see a spacious bathroom and vanity in such a small house, as we often get those so small and economic.
The concealed AC unit was a nice touch
Beautiful apartment. Seems spacious.
this one is a masterpiece 🙌🏼
It seems a non-Euclidean design! Amazing!
Different levels and corners make the flat look bigger - I'd never thought it only being 51qm
I love the structure of the house. I would only change some details, like a sofa that can be moved and changed, "sofa ceiling" at about 220cm rather than the 190 (?), wood floors to make it warmer for barefoot usage. The ladder is designed by people who don't use them and prefer look over function :-) . You can see that the tubular design of the steps is uncomfortable for the person climbing them. I wondered about the horizontal application of the corrugated steel outside. To me vertically corrugated seems more logical for rain drainage, but maybe this is not important at all? Like other commentators I wonder about terraces or mini roof gardens... But all of theses are details. The overall design is stunning and I would love to know the construction costs.
this is very cleverly desgined small house. Very typical japanese but with x2 thought on the fuction, especially the ceiling height and space division. I can imagine myself living here.
this was great, loved it