aoim completes house in koishikawa, Tokyo, with arcing roof
In central Tokyo’s Koishikawa district, architectural studio AOIM completes a three-story residence, shaped around a softly curving roof that gathers, reflects, and diffuses daylight into the interiors. Hemmed in by factories, apartment buildings, and commercial blocks, the plot is long and narrow, with the only two sources of openness being its depth from the street and the strip of sky overhead. The roof forms an inverted arc, a smooth, semi-cylindrical curve reminiscent of the traditional Japanese fish cake kamaboko, to admit light while also modulating its character. As the sun shifts across the day, the curve scatters direct rays into a gentle, even glow, altering in brightness and hue with the weather outside. Morning meals unfold beneath a glow that feels like a spotlight, while throughout the day, the interiors absorb variations in tone that anchor the occupants to seasonal change.
all images by Akira Nakamura
raw concrete interiors meet borrowed views
At the rear of the House in Koishikawa, where visibility to the outside is both a gift and a risk, the Tokyo-based architects at AOIM insert an atrium and terrace as a threshold between domestic life and the city that doubles as an atelier, capturing greenery from borrowed views while opening onto an exterior staircase. The stair acts as a screen and extension, offering partial shelter and encouraging residents to step out and engage with the neighborhood on a terrace designed to be used as casually as a bench.
The House in Koishikawa is modest in scale, just 56.43 square meters of building area across three floors, totaling 157.84 square meters of interior space. The reinforced concrete structure is insulated externally, leaving interior walls raw and unfinished. Without topcoat or polish, the exposed concrete retains a hand-formed quality that contrasts with the precision of its geometry. Its roughness softens under natural light, lending a gentle warmth to otherwise stark surfaces.
AOIM completes a three-story residence in Tokyo
a softly curving roof that gathers, reflects, and diffuses daylight
the roof forms an inverted arc
the curve scatters direct rays into a gentle, even glow
a smooth, semi-cylindrical curve reminiscent of the traditional Japanese fish cake kamaboko
morning meals unfold beneath a glow that feels like a spotlight
interiors absorb variations in tone
the House in Koishikawa is modest in scale
the reinforced concrete structure is insulated externally
interior walls are left raw and unfinished
the exposed concrete retains a hand-formed quality
the lighting anchors occupants to seasonal change
AOIM inserts an atrium and terrace as a threshold between domestic life and the city
capturing greenery from borrowed views while opening onto an exterior staircase
project info:
name: House in Koishikawa
architect: AOIM | @aoim_gallery
location: Tokyo, Japan
site area: 82.01 square meters
building area: 56.43 square meters
total floor area: 157.84 square meters
structure: Ohga Architectural Structural Design Office Ltd.
construction: Hokuto Construction Co., Ltd.
photographer: Akira Nakamura | @nakamamej
The post semi-cylindrical roof brings daylight into AOIM’s three-story residence in tokyo appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.