Black Monolithic Wall

  • Prize
    Honorable Mention in Architectural Design / Residential
  • Company/Firm
    MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Lead Designer
    Nobuaki Miyashita
  • Design Team
    NOBUAKI MIYASHITA / MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Architect
    MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Interior Designer
    NOBUAKI MIYASHITA / MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Lighting Designer
    NOBUAKI MIYASHITA / MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Const. Company
    R-DO Co., Ltd.
  • Photographer Credit
    NOBUAKI MIYASHITA / MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Location
    Nakano,Tokyo,Japan
  • Client
    MR STUDIO Co., Ltd.
  • Project Date
    09.2023

This sculptural black residence was planned in a quiet residential area of Tokyo. The site is narrow at the entrance and elongates towards the back, forming a slender shape. Designed for a parent and their child, this custom house is on an extremely narrow flag lot with no more than two meters of frontage. While complying with Japanese architectural regulations, such as shadow regulation on neighboring lands and building height restrictions, the design aims to create dynamic spaces that capitalize on this unique site shape. The approach features a monolithic black wall integrated with the architecture, incorporating elements like stairs and lighting, leading visitors to the second-floor entrance and enriching the spatial experience. The residence consists of three layers, with half of the first floor buried below ground to maximize interior volume. The first floor includes private spaces, while the second floor serves as guest rooms, and a central void connects to the third-floor dining area. The tsubo-niwa, a small Japanese-style courtyard garden, brings light and air into the home, enhancing the living environment.

Bio
MR STUDIO Co., Ltd. is a premier design firm founded in Japan in 2017, driven by the mission to transform spaces into expressions of identity and purpose through innovative architectural concepts. Under the leadership of Nobuaki Miyashita, an architect with nearly three decades of experience, the firm has swiftly gained recognition for its forward-thinking and impactful approach. Each project undertaken is a testament to MR STUDIO’s dedication to exploring and fulfilling the potential needs of its clients, ensuring that every design embodies a distinct identity.

Other prizes
2007, Award of Excellence,IALD International Lighting Design Award,USA 2007, 2nd prize,PANTONE Design Award, USA 2007, Winner,Good Design Award ,Japan 2009, Winner, International Architecture Awards, USA 2009, Excellence Award, AIA Northwest and Pacific Region Awards,USA 2009, Winner,Good Design Award ,Japan 2011, Special prize, Asia Design Award, Hong kong/China 2012, Excellence Award, AIA Northwest and Pacific Region Awards,USA 2013, Winner, Good Design Award ,Japan 2016, Winner, Good Design Award ,Japan 2018, Finalist, World Architecture Festival Awards-Small Project of the Year, Singapore 2020, Winner, International Architecture Awards, USA 2020, Winner, Good Design Award ,Japan 2020, Platinum award, Nichiha Siding Award, Japan 2020, Winner, Wood design award,Japan 2020, Silver award, Japan Sing Design Association Award ,Japan 2021, First prize, AIA-JAPAN Award for Architecture, Japan 2021, First prize, Good Painting Color Award, Japan 2021, Silver award, Japan Sing Design Association Award ,Japan 2022, Winner, The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Awards,USA 2022, Winner, International Architecture Awards, USA 2022, Excellence Award, Good Painting Color Award, Japan 2022, Winner, iF DESIGN AWARD,Germany 2023, Winner, The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Awards,USA 2024, Gold Winner & Silver Winner French Design Awards, France 2024, Platinum Winner & Gold Winner & Silver Winner, TITAN Property Awards,USA 2024, Platinum Winner & Gold Winner & Silver Winner, MUSE Design Awards,USA 2024, Gold Winner & Silver Winner, New York Architectural Design Awards,USA 2024, Platinum & Gold Winner, International Architecture & Design Awards, Poland 2024, Gold Award & Silver Award, A' Design Award & Competition,Italy 2024, First Award & Second Award, Rethinking The Future Architecture Awards,India 2024, Winner, Green Good Design Sustainability Awards, USA 2024, Winner & Honorable Mention, DNA PARIS DESIGN AWARDS, France 2024, Red Dot Design Award,Germany 2024, AIA International Awards