Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Corrugated Steel Boxes Stack Up to Create a Tiny Home in Tokyo

Corrugated Steel Boxes Stack Up to Create a Tiny Home in Tokyo

Maximizing a 280-square-foot plot, House Tokyo by UNEMORI ARCHITECTS makes clever use of ceiling heights and half levels.

Sandwiched between neighboring houses on a densely populated street, House Tokyo by UNEMORI ARCHITECTS reads as a stack of corrugated steel boxes. With a building area of just 280 square feet to work with, the architects managed to carve out an interior square footage of nearly double that by strategically manipulating the volumes.



UNEMORI ARCHITECTS designed the exterior walls to be partially set back as a way to increase surface area and allow for more light to be ushered inside.

"In Tokyo, tiny plots of land are the standard," says principal architect Hiroyuki Unemori. "Houses in the city have to be compact and cleverly structured. With House Tokyo, we reacted to the challenge by designing the house as stacked, interlinked cubes with a very open floor plan."



In addition to opening House Tokyo up to natural light, the large windows break up the corrugated metal facade.

By setting the upper level further back from the street, the architects were able to create a small outdoor terrace while creating better opportunities for light to sweep inside. Throughout the design, moments like this create what might be called breathing room. For example, "the small gap between the neighboring houses brings a view to the sky, wind circulation, and of course, sunlight," explains Unemori.



From the entrance, a slender metal staircase leads to the upper-level kitchen and dining area.

The outer walls were created from cement and then wrapped in sheets of corrugated steel. Inside, a neutral palette enhances the calming, minimalist aesthetic. Crisp white walls complement exposed portions of the wooden framework, such as the wood-framed windows and ceiling beams.



"As the windows are oriented in different directions, various daylight atmospheres fill the room throughout the day," Unemori explains.

From the entrance, a folded metal staircase leads to the partially sunken bedroom and bathroom, or up to the elevated, open kitchen-and-dining area. Giving the client the option to someday rent out the home, the sleeping area can also be divided into two rooms.

"The client has a very busy, urban lifestyle, so the city is their extended house," says Unemori. "They use House Tokyo for sleeping, working, and living."



Custom cabinetry spans the entire width of the home, providing ample storage.

The ceiling heights range from approximately 22 to 50 feet high, creating discrete moments in a modest amount of space. These staggered ceilings, as well as the many openings and windows, create "a spacious, pleasant living experience-even in such a compact, small house," say the architects.



"The structure of House Tokyo was built with wood, which can still be seen inthe interior design of the residence," notes Unemori. "The open-plan kitchen and dining area were placed on the first floor where the spacious overhead area is dominated by the framework's wooden beams."



A peek at the upper level from the main entrance, showcasing the exposed wooden beams.



"While each floor is assigned a function, the spaces are connected through openfloor plans and offset levels, which enlarge the space and counter the smallness of thehouse," says Unemori.



A washing machine sits nestled under the staircase.



While housed in the semi-basement level, the bedroom is illuminated with ample natural light.



Pocket doors separate the bedroom from the bath, which includes a large glass shower.



House Tokyo cross section

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×