Yo Yamagata Architects

We built two houses over a period of five years. The first house, US, was completed five years ago and was a two-family home for the parents with the husband's mother. The second house, US II, was built for the eldest son's family on a lot adjacent to his parents' house. Since the site is only 18 tsubos (about 1.5 square meters) in area, a three-story volume with the full building-to-land ratio was placed on the street side. The first and third floors are divided into smaller spaces, but the living/dining room on the second floor is one large space. The central staircase is made of steel rods. The central staircase is suspended by steel rods, softly dividing the space. A terrace adjacent to a persimmon tree was created on the north side of the second floor. From this terrace, one can see into the terrace and dining room of the parents' house next door, which is located on the other side of the persimmon tree, creating a sense of distance that allows the two houses to feel each other's presence. An external staircase connects the terraces on the second floors of the two houses, allowing direct access between the two houses at the second floor level. The house is designed to create a network of exterior spaces so that four generations of the family can live close together around the persimmon tree, which is etched with long family memories.