Shirokane House
Tokyo, Japan
The site for this residence is surrounded on four sides by other buildings. Working within those conditions, the architects maximized the amount of natural light brought into the building from above and designed the interior so that light reaches all the way to the lower levels.
The living room is located on the top floor, with a terrace connected to it and a second roof terrace facing onto the void above it. Light and fresh air from the terraces and void pour into the first-floor dining room and kitchen.
The southern side of the house, which faces onto the road and has no windows aside from those in the entryway, gives the impression of a closed-off, somber structure. Inside, however, the mood is entirely different, with light and shadow fluctuating throughout the day to create a diversity of scenes.
