House within House / The bookshelf house

The House Within House is a condominium renovation located in Nagoya city, designed for a couple in their thirties and their child. Their requests were very simple – space, light and storage.The original plan benefitted from excellent lighting in the two main rooms, and with a simple tweak, they could become a bright, spacious LDK, with light entering from every direction. Instead of a simple wall to divide the LDK from the other rooms, we devised a ‘floating bookcase’ that apparently hovers in the centre of the space. Rather than a bleak black or brown, the floating bookcase is a fresh white, punctated with windows and openings, spreading light throughout the whole property, creating a sense of openness and unity between every room.

A ‘House Within a House’, every room exists in its own space with its own boundaries and identity, but also is linked by openings to other spaces, allowing residents to sense each others’ presence without sacrificing privacy. The clean whites and greys that compose the majority of the space are accented by bursts of bright color on the doors and furniture to add a little vibrance and dynamism. An ordinarily narrow and claustrophobic corridor magically transforms into a grand hallway with the addition of mirrors that create an illusion of depth, and the entranceway was widened as much as possible to avoid clutter and provide ample space for shoes and umbrellas.The ceiling was made to resemble concrete, and was raised to further accentuate space and openness. Solid oak and tiles are used on the floor, and on the walls, a paint made from powdered scallops with moisture conditioning and antibacterial action was used. The simple addition of insulation and intelligent insulation allows this home to save warmth, energy and money. All bookshelves, fittings and furniture were custom-made for this residence, making it a unique and original place to live.

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