kazuteru matumura architects renovates retoyosaki townhouse
all images © yoshiro masuda
toyosaki is a town located 15 minutes walking distance from umeda station, a transportation hub in north osaka, japan. largely a metropolitan area, a plethora of old townhouses are hidden down back alleys and side streets. down one of these lanes, stands kazuteru matumura architects, ‘retoyosaki home’.
the privately owned residence had to be entirely gutted in order to assess the condition of the existing structure/MEP–which was roughly estimated to have originated around 1964. it was then enhanced to meet the latest building codes, and insulation was replaced to achieve 4th grade energy performance requirements of japan.
living space
the space is designed with an open layout, and contains only two interior doors (toilet & bathroom). Other rooms are softly divided by curtains in order to leave the option of freely combining or separating sections. the foyer is luxuriously large considering the home’s 64m2 total floor space, and functions as a vital storage area. original doors and flooring were kept during the renovation process and reused in different contexts and locations. storage, including the main foyer, openly displays the personal items, life, and hobbies of the owners.
work space
connected kitchen
soft partition
stairs
front door and foyer
entrance chalk-board and room division
entrance storage
bedroom
bathroom
side street location
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