Retreat House, The site was literally a gap between a typical detached house and an apartment, with only the width of a parking space, located in the suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The 2.5-meter-wide single-family house consists of a storage in the middle, and the floors adjacent to it are shifted by half a floor height.
© Daici Ano
There are no doors in between the rooms; instead, the elongated stairs sandwiching the storage separate and connect the rooms at the same time. This was a response to the client who felt difficulties in communication in the past, living in houses with ordinary plans, with closed bedrooms.
© Daici Ano
The storage is autonomous, not belonging to any of the rooms, hence the usage of the rooms can be rearranged. The size of the storage is too big for the tiny house, thus confusing the perception of space. It is like a huge chest inside the envelope of a tall single room, while the stretched stairs become reminiscent of an alleyway in a medieval city.
© Daici Ano
The minimal interior is a retreat from the world of mass consumption; the homogeneity and repetition emphasize the transition of natural light. The house is a small and tranquil place to return to among the difficulties of the present.
Project Info
Architects: ARII IRIE ARCHITECTS
Country: Japan
Area: 68 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Daici Ano
Design Team: Atsuo Arii, Kako Irie, Naoki Kondo
Engineering & Consulting > Structural: Yoshihiro Fukushima / Graph Studio
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.