2-Courts House is built on a typical central Tokyo site – small, narrow land, constrained by closely built neighbouring properties on three sides, with a street frontage on the fourth. These sites often encounter difficulties with privacy and capturing sufficient natural light.
Built over four-storeys, the outer precast concrete walls shield the activities of everyday life, while the insertion of two cascading lightwells vertically divide the floor plans, allowing natural light to filter into the innermost volume of the house. With differing light qualities between each, the rooms of the house have been characterised, and functions assigned. Sun-drenched bedrooms with adjoining courts are positioned on the upper floors and living quarters with a double height lounge on the lower floor.
