How This Japanese Architect Makes Use of a Small Site in Tokyo

Daisuke Ibano, a Tokyo-based architect, desired a bright and spacious home for his family. Dissatisfied with their previous dark and cramped house, Daisuke collaborated with architects Ryosuke Fujii and Satoshi Numanoi to create a new residence that would provide a more comfortable living environment.
Due to the limited space of the tiny 45m2 site, they decided to forgo corridors and instead connected all the rooms in a spiral, allowing smooth movement between levels. With only a few doors throughout the home, privacy is had by generating a sense of distance between you and others, such as sitting on the staircase bench seat nook while everyone else is in the living area.
The family now enjoys an abundance of light-filled spaces with plenty of room for everyone.
English and Japanese subtitles are available.
Website article with photographs and the floor plan;
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House in the City by Daisuke Ibano
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In collaboration with
Ryosuke Fujii
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Satoshi Numanoi
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Produced by Simple Dwelling
Filmed and Edited by Simple Dwelling / Anthony Richardson
#HomeDesign #JapaneseHouse #InteriorDesign #HouseTour #HomeTour

[@-IrisTsui]

I appreciate the successful attempt to capture how the space would actually look under natural lighting conditions--shadows and all. I imagine it can be difficult to capture the feel of a space without giving into the temptation of excessive illumination.

[@Zaihanisme]

Yesssss, and I love that it's not an overlit home

[@metislamestiza3708]

i LOVE the little nook with the whale pillow that has a library beside it. perfect for cozy time reading to their children. the shower is beautiful . they did their best with the physical circumstances presented - love it!

[@shiralleehaggart72]

Agree. That whole wall with the book shelves and the family's decorative belongings makes this home actually look lived in. The area with the whale cushion would be my favorite spot in this house.

[@ingap.2943]

I wish I could see more of this house.

[@arcticredpanda4598]

Me too. I think this space is difficult to shoot.

[@m.denonsens]

What a shame that we did not see more of the “before” and also the bedrooms.

[@Aeybiseediy]

I want to see the toilet and bath area. I think its ridiculous to pass through the toilets in order to go to the upstairs rooms.

[@m.denonsens]

Hey @simpledwelling, can we get a re-do?

[@fehmiabbasi4874]

Me too

[@cynthiahawkins2389]

Huge respect for the Japanese: this is a nation that values space, makes the most wonderful, practical use OF it - and creates things out of tiny areas that are beautiful, well-ordered and almost..spiritual. I am a textile artist, living in New Orleans, and my pieces are all small, so I dearly love tha concept of miniature/limited/scaled down, etc...

[@arlenehutchinson9259]

Light is everything ✨ The architect was a meistro the borrowed light was perfect. The description of letting your natural desire for light move you through the home INSPIRED 🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 RESPECT

[@orlandob662]

I think we like the japanese homw tours because theres so much problem solving and great execution of ideas.

[@lynda.grace.14]

Reading the 1933 essay "In Praise of Shadows" by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki (Eng. trans. Edward Seidensticker or Gregory Starr) might help viewers not familiar with Japanese aesthetics who find the home too dark to appreciate the difference in approach to interior spaces. Need for privacy, too, is viewed differently in Japan. It's very likely that a family will pass the entire winter together sharing the kotasu (a table with a heater) and not in "their own rooms" as they likely would in some other cultures.

[@abominablyawsm]

We place so much value on light and bright that we have forgotten how cozy and relaxing the dark is.

[@Aryan_Raj.]

Thank you for mentioning In Praise of Shadows. That piece of literature gives so much insight on traditional Japanese architecture.

[@lynda.grace.14]

@@Aryan_Raj. Yes. That and the nature of thought and aesthetic appreciation in Japan that stands somewhat apart from a "Western" approach. I use that distinction loosely as that encompasses a wide range.

[@anaalves3658]

I have never been to the east and I must admit to being very ignorant of Eastern cultures. I do fully understand the concept of building houses that fit the environment and that meet the requirements of its inhabitants, but I also know that it's difficult for people to understand and appreciate how people live differently to themselves. Personally I love lots of natural light, I am the kind of person that doesn't have curtains in my home, we have block out blinds in the bedrooms and all the windows have blinds built into the windows, but they are only ever used in very sunny weather. I also prefer the heat so it doesn't bother me if it gets warmer inside. Each to their own. I do love seeing homes that fit it's inhabitants well, and I must agree that the little reading nook looks amazing and I would personally love it.

[@jodpigbass5904]

Very true ... this is so very Japanese and rather lovely...

[@jori7398]

I quite love the feel of this home. Amazing how much seclusion, or privacy, it seems to allow for each family member. Looks like many small, intimate spaces can be experienced throughout the home. This is what I appreciate about it.

[@Ricangelo]

I love how rich the textures of all the surfaces are and how the dim lighting enhances them even more. Also love how haphazardly the arrangement of the wall arts are placed. So poetically shows the life utilises the spaces.

[@marymccluer1630]

The spiral staircase was a clever feature to yield more livable space in this small house. I like the window seat as it brought in a lot of natural light.

[@ixlnxs]

2:14 The arrangement of kitchen, dining table and living space, giving people in all three the same line of sight at 2:26 is genius

[@katsee8699]

This is beautiful! Love the colors and the dark furniture. And that shower is awesome!

[@susantuyau8089]

I think the use of space is really clever but I still find the home really dark. Perhaps it was a gloomy day when filming. But I also think a much lighter colour on the rendered walls and ceiling would have added so much more cheer to the space.

[@masdzulfikar6201]

I think it's partly because overcast weather, lights are all off, dark tones on the wood, and few reflective materials.

[@Zaihanisme]

Bright homes are OVERRATED, especially for people who get sun year round or have brutal summers

[@susantuyau8089]

@@Zaihanisme the architect commented in the first 10 sec of the clip about the lack of light into the home and it was unacceptable to the family. Getting light into the home was obviously a priority for the home owners.

[@MsYeahman1]

@@Zaihanisme, I have never thought of that. I live in that kind of climate and temperature and I have thought of painting the walls a darker color, as I like moody colors on observing others' homes. But I do like the light colors, because living with moody gives me the blues. Maybe I could see what kind of darker tones I COULD tolerate . Thank you.

[@abominablyawsm]

He never said he wanted a bright home. He wanted natural light, he wanted to see the sun. He wanted to bring in air and better circulation. Unfortunately he doesn't have a lot of places he can get it because there are buildings on all but one side and you can see how tight against each other they are. He's got everything arranged to have a wall facing the street and has put a great big window facing out in as many spaces as possible except the bathroom. He's arranged the floors so light comes down from above as much as possible. He also said how important having natural wood was. And the wood isn't dark. They use a medium tone in a bedroom, which is fine. The wood in the living area is all light. The darkest tone is that 90s honey oak.

[@ColleenMarble]

My father-in-law spent a lot of time in Japan in the 1950s, and it definitely inspired him as he built the family home. Simple Japanese-style garden outside, lots of natural wood and simple, clean lines inside, and it definitely is darker and shadowed like the home in this video. I personally find it quite lovely, but I also think it's too dark. But the aesthetic is similar to this home, and I can appreciate now how he was inspired by architecture in Japan.

[@annepoitrineau5650]

Beautiful house, full of warmth. The people living in it will feel good.

[@Solidarity1024]

I like the spiral approach to the space problem, two-steps between spaces, no corridors. Doors even though they would add privacy, would affect the flow. Flow through this building is more important. The kitchen-dining-living line of sight, making the stairs less steep, all considerate decisions.

[@ck7642]

Wow! I have never heard an architect explain something in such a way that was easy to follow and somehow made sense to me. Refreshing. Thank you.

[@SimpleDwelling]

I’m glad! Daisuke Ibano is a tremendous architect and communicator!

[@HannaARTzink]

Gorgeous house. There is very modern element and ingenious reclaim of space and light married with the organic, shady, element of traditional Japanese house. Brilliant.

[@AliceswanUs]

Beautiful and very well-designed. Love the bookshelves by the staircase and the benches by the window and upstairs. I would read there all day.

[@ap2650]

Love the design - to ensure someone can be seen somewhere, privacy can also be secured at the same time.

[@SonoraD.]

LOVED IT!! The bench by the window is somewhere I would spend a lot of time reading if I lived there.

[@Zaihanisme]

Love the skylit reading nook as well like wow

[@Eunegin23]

Yes, looks great. I had exactly the same thought. Reading an d a cup of coffee or a glas of wine - but also depends on where you live. I couldn't sit in front of such a beautiful window when it's bitter cold outside. Or in summer when the sun burns in.

[@anaalves3658]

The architect said that it is a north facing window, you will never have the on you , even in the middle of summer 😁🌞. Personally I like to watch the rain fall, I just need a big soft warm blanket 😊.

[@Eunegin23]

@@anaalves3658 In my Berlin apartment (built in 1900) I couldn't sit there in winter... Still the original windows. Otherwise: great concept!

[@Aeybiseediy]

Zero privacy house

[@abn2175]

So interesting. Thoughtful use of vertical space is intriguing. Well done.

[@jennycampbell5236]

Japanese architects are on a whole different level. Please pardon my pun. If I had enough money I would buy a small plot of land here in Australia and hire a Japanese architect to build me a home full of light without neighbours looking in. Everything here is becoming more and more crowded.

[@Jupe367]

Beautiful things come in small packages. This is a perfect example.

[@x9872]

日本室內設計厲害的就是完全善用每一寸室內空間 真的非常佩服～～～👍

[@dru8851]

The staggered floors are so fun and clever use of space!

[@kalikalimai1]

Wish we could have seen more of the interior spaces. Thank you.

[@lindajanes5698]

I love it. I love how the Japanese people arrange their homes and gardens. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@ahumanbeing812]

The highlight of this small house is the open concept floor plan. The lack of walls and doors between shared spaces lends the whole place a fluid form, allowing the occupants maximum freedom of movement and making the place feel more spacious than it is. Besides the open concept floor plan, the parallel parking lot also ensures maximum interior space. Love this tiny house. Very elegant. Very functional. A perfect combination of traditional Japanese culture and modern interior design concept. 👍

[@MTMF.london]

Brilliant designed house for such a compact site - it doesn't look cramped at all.

[@blacklavoux]

I wish people could adapt japan's method of functioning small space for their home. Because i saw a lot of people in the city have minimum living space but have no idea how to manage their surroundings to maximize their space.

[@isawei4804]

This is very beautiful, thank you for sharing!

[@ExLibris-Alys]

I admire this home very much, it was extremely well thought out.

[@Akiss]

Wow, 45 sq meters of land and he even found space to put a parking spot. Considering the small foot print there's a lot of dining space, kitchen space and a large bathtub. Very well planned out.

[@someoneelse1317]

2:05 judging by the plan, there is also a major (parent's) bedroom in the house, but they didn't show it to us... why? because of privacy? even without information about that bedroom, I really like the house. wants to live in it. every corner is so cozy

[@Zaihanisme]

Maybe because it's the most boring space, just a normal bedroom to the architect like, meh not my best work down there haha! It was very clever to put the master bedroom at a sub-basement level furthest from the kids at the top of the house, providing extra privacy in a house that is essentially a chain of gorgeous rooms with only absolutely needed doors

[@andreaandrea6716]

Thank you! This is a BEAUTIFUL house! And the use of space is so clever!! Thank you for sharing with us!

[@glendabarton1914]

I love how he casually mentions sitting on the floor in the living room. Of course that's traditional way of sitting. I always had trouble mastering that because of the pain in my knees from fibromyalgia. But it's a wonderful use of space.

[@Caitness1]

Very smart design and the interior seems peaceful even in Tokyo city.

[@MatteoManzi]

Small spaces, excellent design, and well-used light. Poetry. The only thing I would have changed is to use a white plaster and maybe I would have avoided the ceiling drop above the dining table.

[@shanybody]

it's interesting that the owner didnt show the ground floor which Im not sure if it's by mistake or purposefully done. Aparting from the bathroom is 2 floors away from the main bedroom which I find is maybe not ideal, the concept and indoor/outdoor space exchange is very nice! But in general, I love the designing thoughts put into the project, it matches my style preference of living in terms of space scale.

[@kittykat9955]

this particular design is very humane👌 not all housings are the same, we hope designs like this become the ultimate standard of housing. Prioritizing humanity in housing should be the gold standard.

[@solb101]

There’s actually more light than appears in this film, allowing for eye adjustment.

[@jewels1871]

Rooftop terrace is nice! Overall, good use of space. If possible, add some recess lights, it would be elevated with more lights in the house.

[@danaesquires7571]

I love this design.

[@ルシュクル-u8l]

（ため息・・・）色の組み合わせも魔法のようですね。ただただすごい！！

[@thepeopleplaceandnaturepod8344]

I love how simple yet practical your space is! ✨🙌

[@betterburnout]

This Robot-Architect is damn good.

[@theweatherisaokay4964]

Feels like a few little huts connecting together, gives a nice feeling but I think not for tall people.

[@deniseljub452]

brilliant home

[@qtdcanada]

Ibano-san explained very well his & his family's desire for their living spaces despite the small dimensions. He came up, ingeniously, with the design that maximizes sun light as well as enhances the communication of various family members through the use of few steps arranged in circular fashion between different levels. His English is clear and fluent. Thank you for this presentation!

[@lvchlvn]

Beautifully considered home. Reminds me a little of the work of Loos, thanks Anthony.

[@Grieldric]

The spiral layout in here is so smart, it reminds me of the Paju Typography Institute building I visited for a summer GD course i took in Korea. I dont know if they would let themselves be featured on here but it would be really awesome if they did 🤞🏼

[@archilgverdtsiteli5973]

In Tbilisi, Georgia we had an award vining building of "Children's world" supermarket, unfortunately demolished after fire - spiral design of spaces with 1/4 of height steep elevation - it's very smart approach to the separation and connection of volumes!

[@gitanjalianand3543]

It's a house for young people. Imagine getting up in the middle of the night for washroom or kitchen- dealing with steps can be dangerous. Otherwise it's beautiful 😍

[@larryhanya]

Nishiazabu, Tokyo, is one of the most expensive areas in Japan. While the house might be small, its value is not. Unfortunately, most of us can't afford it.

[@lagartijoazul75]

What a beautiful beautiful house!

[@laibakausar8161]

Absolutely gorgeous! i would love to live in a place like this.

[@skojigoquist9288]

Nishiazavu!!!!!! Yes, i knew that it must exist! Back in 1987 a hungarian film was produced, called Macskafogo (catsville).)in this story the mice get tired of the agressive cats and they decide to take a revenge. They commission a karate-practicing Mouse called Grabowski to go to Japan and collection the plans of a cat-catching machine, planned by the genius japanese Mouse Profesor Niazaki who lives in Nishiazavu :) When i heard it i had a time travel! I love the Macskafogo! :) thank you thank you :) By the way the design is also fantastic

[@ΚατερίναΚαραγεώργη-δ6λ]

Truly brilliant design!! 👌🏼👏🏼

[@desleykakoulidisgallaway3382]

Love this place and great design ideas

[@deborahmac1997]

There is so much to be considered in this home. Very thoughtful design.

[@marig9236]

beautiful home, well done

[@OrendaDesignStudio]

Beautiful 😍😍😍😍.

[@janosspindler9219]

why not let the man speak japanese so he feels more comfortable and doesn't have to read off the text so awkwardly? everybody can read subtitles for 5min

[@joncaju]

Maybe the man chose to speak English. He speaks with a Japanese accent but is quite fluent. I don’t see anything wrong with it

[@me-ye6ld]

If it’s a little awkward, it’s because it’s not his first language. But he’s fluent and for all you know wanted to speak in English.

[@mariyamwaniki]

I thank him for his effort .

[@kartiknagrale1479]

I feel if he had spoken in Japanese i would have watched the whole video

[@MaliMorgan-g5i]

His English pronunciation is very good, grammatically not correct in places, but perfectly understandable.

[@yukito6624]

The house is beautiful, but I wish to see a future review about the applicability and practicality of the ideas presented here. My apartment faces south, yet the condensation water in the winter collects down the window, and the spot near it will be cold damp at night. This is going to be much worse in a house that faces north, and it makes me question the practicality of placing a bed right next to the window. The stairs pose the risk of tripping at night in the dark, especially for any kids or elderly or when the person is too sleepy to have a proper estimation of their space. Distance does not always guarantee privacy, and I wonder what extra measures or habits the family will need to implement in that regard.

[@liia9736]

I feel like i didn't get to truly see this place. plenty of tiny homes more cramped than this one that ppl are able to effectively film.

[@SimpleDwelling]

What do you feel like you missed out on, or didn’t see?

[@firelight-vitality]

Whatever you do, it's a bunker of a place.

[@carolyncottier9466]

NICE, REALLY NICE.

[@taisnicoletti4293]

I love this house, every space is beautiful and cozy! The solutions are amazing. But I could not live there as a family, I would need minimal privacy (either as an adult or as a kid). Maybe that's a cultural thing...

[@cherylsemrau7100]

Lovely.

[@designzip5890]

I'm not sure about this house. I feel it could have been better designed with more skylights to maximum the light. It still looks quite dark.

[@Rm-mq2qg]

AMAZING

[@ridingdriving]

brilliant

[@rodrigowash]

Lovely

[@lolgriffin3243]

I'm torn, it's an interesting and creative resolution, but it feels claustrophobic. I love the finishes and the overall feeling but that closed in sensation is too much for me.

[@pesm8kk615]

Amazing

[@CamiloSoto]

I love the design, but there are no sound blockers if there are no doors. So there's no efficient privacy.

[@patriciamiranda1453]

EXCELENTE ¡ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 MUY DISTRIBUIDO LAS HABITACIONES , LAS LINEAS PLANAS Y SIMPLES DE LOS MUEBLES , MARAVILLOSOS . AMBIENTES MUY LIVIANOS , LA LUZ BIEN, QUIZAS USAR COLORES MAS CLAROS A LOS MUROS , PARA AMPLITUD. SANTIAGO - CHILE🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱

[@a___ipp]

interesting design

[@klgherkin]

Genius!

[@marcoh.6345]

50 years old its unusual, right most are demolished after 30 years

[@Spiritueli]

how clever

[@JetcannonM]

very cool

[@Tamaresque]

I see creativity and the ability to live in what, to me, seems very cramped spaces. But where is their storage? No robes or furniture in the bedrooms other than beds. Very little storage in the kitchen, etc. Overall, though, a great solution to building on a very small footprint.

[@avocado1405]

actually just adopt me!! i hope to work with great architects this craft is so demotivating and depressing makes me actually wanna quit it's just a business now

[@idairisfernandezperez5719]

Hola, demasiado oscuro el departamento y no se visualiza todo.

[@litoboy5]

Great

[@gaweyn]

very nice design, but the video work makes it less than idea to follow along, all these static shots. It would have been SOOO much nicer to have a walkthrough experience with a wide angle lens

[@riseevolution]

the stairs enter in bathroom and them go up?

[@logicalfallacy4156]

You can tell straight people did the interior design...

[@tikibun]

日本の建築家は家が狭いのに色々と詰め込みすぎるんだよな。 1.5~2倍のスケールであればちょうどいいぐらい。 だからやることをもっと厳選したほうがいい。安藤忠雄がそうだった。

[@JulentesDing]

The kitchen looks very! dark.... most of the house looks very dark 😮😮 i couldn t live in it because i am person how needs the light

[@azabujuban-hito8085]

Hello fellow Azabu dweller 😊👋

[@AbdullahalMahbub-pt4mz]

help me I have diploma in architecture from bangladesh can i apply in university or can i do job?

[@yuni1490]

0:01 what is that subtitle

[@user-ep7hj8yt2h]

スキップフロアー

[@prashanth9435]

But I see only 1 room and thats for kids. What about the parent?

[@cesarvides9729]

Beautiful house, but again as in so many other videos, it would have been better for the designer to have spoken in their native tongue. I'm sure there's a lot of nuance that isn't being conveyed.

[@wendywong819]

請问你這單位有幾多呎?謝謝!

[@matthias8122]

What will they do when the sister and brother are teenagers and don’t want to share a room anymore? I can appreciate the good use of space, but Nishi Azabu is rather expensive even by Tokyo standards so I don’t understand the point of building a home that cannot suit the needs of the family for even 10-15 years.

[@manidipamandal451]

Most of the world does not gender-segregate kids that much in the home. It's a peculiarly American thing I find weird, honestly, coming from India. But is this true elsewhere in the world as well?

[@sisuguillam5109]

Sleeping spaces work differently in japanischen culture, don't they? Sharing a sleeping space and not seperating off into bedrooms was/is common. Bedroom as a designated room is a fairly new concept, isn't it?

[@lokesh303101]

Architectures.

[@fausmartinez6342]

Dulce refugio

[@micholfisher9683]

Where do the parents sleep?