The tiny urban home features a total floor area of 75 sq meters (807 sq ft) and is composed of two volumes — the gate house and the main house. The gate house is a slim, two-story volume located adjacent to the street that serves as the entrance to the home. A narrow passageway sits on the right side of the house, providing direct access to the courtyard. The bottom floor of the gatehouse acts as an entry, while the top floor, accessed via a wooden ladder, serves as a study with built-in bookshelves.
In between the two volumes is a small courtyard, which provides the owners with a private space to sit and reflect out of doors, and the courtyard also pulls natural daylight into the buildings despite the narrow site. In the back is a larger volume that holds the bedroom and bathroom along with the living and dining space. The bedroom and the house’s only bathroom sit on the ground floor, while the living/dining area is up top. Construction on the Near House was completed in 2010.
This Japanese micro home is called the Near House for a reason – its neighboring buildings are so close that you can touch them. Located in Tokyo, this wood frame two-story house was designed by Mount Fuji Architects Studio for a unique, tiny L-shaped a
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The tiny house is located on an unusually sized lot in a dense neighborhood in Tokyo.
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At the entrance, the lot is very narrow, but it widens into an L-shape in the back.
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A private courtyard sits between two volumes that make up the house.
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In the front is the gate house, which serves as the entrance and study for the home. The back volume houses the single bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen and living area.
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The only bathroom is located downstairs in the back house, which has a direct view into the courtyard.
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The bathroom sits next to the single bedroom on the bottom floor.
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The bedroom located in the very back is the most private. Like all the other rooms, it features built-in shelving.
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Upstairs is the kitchen and living area, which is brightly-lit from both the courtyard and backside of the house.
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The minimalist kitchen blends in with the built-in wood shelves.
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The living area features a large picture window that looks out over a neighbor’s tile roof and a beautiful tree.
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A set of stairs lead up from the bedroom to the kitchen and living area.
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The courtyard in between the two volumes provides a private place to sit outside and also helps bring sunlight into the home.
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The L-shaped lot features two volumes. The left floorplan is for the downstairs and the right is for the upstairs.
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