Volcanic ash is mixed into the concrete shell of this angular property in central Tokyo, which was made by Atelier Tekuto for a pair of chemists (+ slideshow).
The Japanese firm developed a sort of “environmentally friendly” concrete for R Torso C, which employs particles of volcanic ash known as shirasu in place of conventional sand aggregate.
The ash increases the power and durability of the concrete, as well as helping to offer humidity control, explained the architects. Aray Architecture also used shirasu bricks to aid thermally insulate a house in south-west Japan.
The raw concrete structure is left exposed across exterior and interior, in which it is paired with a mixture of dark and light timber fittings.
Related story: Atelier Tekuto produces an angular house with a pattern of pointy skylights
“We want to see exposed concrete finish within and out,” the clientele advised Atelier Tekuto, “a difficult piece of architecture that is at the very same time environmentally pleasant.”
The corners of the residence were “pruned” away to produce windows with views of the sky and street from the narrow urban plot. This attribute also crops up in the firm’s Monoclinic Home, which has pointy skylights and exposed concrete walls.
“The way of creating architecture respectfully in the direction of nature and the setting in substantial density residential districts in Tokyo is to develop in the direction of the sky,” stated the architects. “It is the only route with a real feeling of the vastness of nature.”
“To type a sturdy connection with the sky, the corners of the rectangular creating had been pruned away at an angle,” they additional. “This action, cutting away the internal volume, paradoxically generates a sense of spaciousness in the steady four-storey-area within.”
The windows are aligned to enable normal light into every single of the building’s 4 storeys. The ground floor is somewhat elevated to let a portion of glazing to extend down to the sound-insulated basement, which is employed as a music room and for viewing movies.
A flight of concrete methods leads up the front of the house to the entrance level, exactly where there is a classic Japanese area and a bathroom.
A small open-plan living space and kitchen sit on the first floor, even though the bedroom is positioned on the third. Storage regions are constructed into furniture in the residing spot to support combat the lack of area.
“The residing area is a quite little space, but a 5-metre-high ceiling and a large oblique triangular window drawing in an abundance of external light final results in a cognition that is far greater than the actuality,” said the architects.
Photography is by Jérémie Souteyrat.
Basement program – click for more substantial picture 
Ground floor program – click for bigger image 
First floor plan – click for greater picture 
Second floor prepare – click for bigger picture 
Area – click for bigger image 
