In This Tokyo Home, a Secret Garden Thrives Behind a Cascade of Glass

Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP use 87 translucent bricks to reframe a family’s connection to nature and the city.

Mar 11, 2024 - 19:00

In This Tokyo Home, a Secret Garden Thrives Behind a Cascade of Glass

Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP use 87 translucent bricks to reframe a family’s connection to nature and the city.

In central Tokyo, a family of four sought to trade high-rise apartment living for a home with more space and tranquility—while staying within the heart of the city. "We wanted to be situated in an urban, residential area, where the presence of greenery and the gentle caress of the wind can be experienced throughout every season," they say.

Opposite the optical glass facade, the slant of the northern facade is the result of Tokyo urban planning requirements. A constant gradient diagonal line restriction dictated that the home’s mass recede diagonally away from the northern property line, to ensure adequate light and ventilation for the neighboring property—a policy not uncommon in lower-density residential areas of Tokyo. — The home’s northern facade is slanted to meet Tokyo’s urban planning requirements, which ensure adequate light and ventilation for the neighboring property.
Photo by Koji Fujii / TOREAL

The couple called upon Tokyo firm Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP to envision a residence that would allow them to live in harmony with nature—even in a dense metropolis. "They wanted a house where they could live comfortably, feeling all four seasons, even in the center of the city," shares principal architect and CEO Hiroshi Nakamura. "Instead of living in air-conditioned air, they wanted a place where they could be mentally and physically relaxed in the fresh air outside."

Accordingly, Nakamura and team sought to create a transcendent home centered around nature. "There is a growing need for open spaces that contrast with the myopic daily routine of staring at screens," says Nakamura. "Even in the densely populated urban center of Tokyo, we should discover that there is nature to be respected."

87 pieces of optical glass—each measuring 13.1 feet tall and 3.3 inches square in cross section—are aligned vertically at the front facade. The high specific gravity of the glass ensures sufficient sound insulation against the noise of the city. — 87 pieces of optical glass—each measuring 13.1 feet tall and 3.3 inches square in cross section—are aligned vertically at the front facade. The high specific gravity of the glass provides sufficient sound insulation against the noise of the city.
Photo by Koji Fujii / TOREAL

The couple found an empty 2,150-square-foot corner lot that once housed a residential structure, and the team planned a new home that would allow the family to be in tune with nature, without blocking out the city entirely. "The connection with the urban environment is important," says Nakamura. "Rather than completely isolating the surrounding view and noise that is created by the overcrowded city center, we incorporated it into the living space while controlling it through architectural methods and ideas."