Silver Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2025
Yokohama Aoba Housing
by Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai
- A' Design Award 2025 Silver Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Sky Mission
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 22,284
- Verification code BD1C599946 · Verify this award
About Yokohama Aoba Housing
Yokohama Aoba is a house designed to bring nature back into urban living. The home stands on a pentagonal plot and is arranged around a central courtyard that connects all rooms and opens the interior to the sky. Two stairways begin at the entrance, and the rooms fan out around the courtyard, while a narrow passage links the wings at the rear. The circulation forms a continuous double loop, so each room has its own route and residents can move without crossing paths. Natural light and air flow through the house, reducing energy use.
Situated within the contemporary discourse on residential architecture's capacity for chromatic expression and volumetric experimentation, this dwelling by Kei Tamai represents a sophisticated meditation on the relationship between shelter and identity, between contextual sensitivity and bold individual assertion. The architect appears to engage with traditions of geometric abstraction that trace lineage through early twentieth-century avant-garde movements, particularly the planar compositions and primary color deployments associated with Dutch modernism, while translating these formal vocabularies into the specific conditions of suburban residential practice. The technical achievement of the facade system merits particular attention: the dark corrugated metal cladding establishes a recessive ground against which the saturated ultramarine volumes project with remarkable visual presence, creating depth and shadow that activate the surface throughout changing light conditions. The fenestration strategy demonstrates sophisticated compositional thinking, arranging rectangular apertures of varying proportion in dynamic asymmetrical relationships that suggest both functional response to interior spatial needs and deliberate aesthetic play. The warm illumination visible through these openings transforms the dwelling at dusk into something approaching architectural lantern, radiating domestic presence into the neighborhood fabric. The material palette of metal, stone, wood, and glass achieves harmonious integration while maintaining clear articulation of distinct elements. The landscape design, though young in its planting, suggests an evolving relationship between architecture and nature that will mature over time, softening the geometric precision with organic growth. How might we consider the role of color in establishing architectural identity, and what does it mean for a dwelling to announce itself so confidently while remaining fundamentally committed to the creation of comfortable domestic space?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This project creates a home that integrates nature into urban living. Designed by renowned architect Shin Takamatsu, the focus is on living harmoniously with the sky. The pentagonal plot features a central courtyard that connects all rooms, allowing residents to feel linked to the sky. A "double Möbius strip" design, with a staircase and hallway, creates a loop, offering flexibility for family activities. This design supports diverse scenarios, adapting to the changing needs of the residents.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Site area：204.05㎡ Building area：90.56㎡ Total floor area：163.77㎡
- Tags
- housing,japan,modern,architecture,Tokyo
- Production Technology
- Upon entering the house, two stairways immediately start, with rooms fanning out around the central courtyard. A narrow passage connects the wings at the back. Most rooms face the courtyard, allowing the sky to fill every corner. The double Möbius strip circulation and courtyard create various pathways, fostering family connections and making the space feel larger. Each room has its own path, ensuring safety during pandemics. The wings are angled at 40 degrees, enhancing the sense of space.
- Design Challenge
- In the suburbs of major cities, small-scale developments for mass markets dominate, leading to declining living environments. Our company resists this trend by maintaining developments at their current scale to preserve quality. For properties priced over 100 million yen, delivering value is crucial, and working with renowned architects is one approach. While spec homes make achieving ideal designs easier, strict budget constraints create constant challenges between cost and design.
- Project Duration
- "The collaboration between architect Shin Takamatsu and Principal Home began in 2014. We discussed the direction of the project for over a year and a half, and entered the design phase in 2015.
In 2017, ""AROUND THE SKY"" was completed and received the Good Design Award. Later, in 2017, ""WITH THE SKY"" was finished, followed by the construction of ""ALONG THE SKY."" This year, the construction of two ""IN THE SKY"" buildings has also been completed." - Operation Flow
- The house offers various living styles, such as centering life around the courtyard or integrating all rooms into one large space. The double Möbius strip circulation path allows for endless movement, adapting to different family activities and enriching life. Each room has its own path, so family members can live without crossing paths, especially helpful during pandemics. Natural light and air flow through the home, reducing energy dependence and making urban living more comfortable.
- Research
- Traditional Japanese homes, like Kyoto's machiya, were designed to bring natural elements such as light and air into daily life, even in densely built cities. These homes had a garden at their center, creating comfort, respect for nature, and a unique aesthetic. Modern homes, however, prioritize performance and have become isolated from nature, heavily relying on energy. Now is the time to revive the traditional Japanese lifestyle, reducing energy use and reconnecting with nature.
- Inspiration
- In the suburbs of major cities, cramped living with close neighbors is unavoidable. Modern homes prioritize energy efficiency, insulation, and privacy, resulting in inward living spaces where people often keep curtains shut to avoid outside views. Traditionally, Japanese homes embraced nature, harmonizing with the climate and reflecting a deep connection to the environment. This project aims to restore those lost values and reconnect modern living with nature.
Colors of Yokohama Aoba Housing
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