Senkawa House

Making the courtyard the largest room in the house.

A private house in Senkawa, Tokyo. On a plot enclosed by neighbours, the answer to daylight is built inward: living spaces line up along an internal courtyard, and a double-height arched steel window gathers light, greenery and family life into a single frame.

Location: Senkawa, Tokyo
Type: Detached house
Area: approx. 180 m²
Year: 2026
Scope: Spatial planning / interior design / materials & lighting / CG
Status: In design development
Role: Spatial & interior design, CG visualisation (architecture & site supervision: Takagi Tatsuyuki Architects)

Background

The family wanted to live openly, in generous light — but the plot sits in a dense residential block, surrounded on all sides. Windows facing outward would trade privacy for daylight.

The building — architecture and site supervision — is by Takagi Tatsuyuki Architects; my scope covers the spatial and interior design, the material system and the overall atmosphere.

Thinking

Problem
In a dense block, brightness and privacy pull against each other — while three generations’ living, dining and hosting stack onto one floor.
Judgement
Rather than compete with the street for windows, the house makes its own light: the courtyard becomes a shared light well and a shared depth of view, and every main room opens onto it.
Design
Living and dining line up along the courtyard behind a double-height arched steel screen; a vaulted plaster ceiling lets the light travel slowly through the day. The palette is held to warm white plaster, travertine and white oak.

On this project I am responsible for the spatial and interior design, materials, lighting and CG; the architecture and supervision are by Takagi Tatsuyuki Architects, with whom I collaborate. About me →

The space

Main bedroom facing the courtyard (render)

Bathroom: warm stone, backlit mirror (render)

Kitchen and the curved clerestory (render)

Where travertine meets white oak (render)

Bedroom: oak battens, copper sconces (render)

Process

Process material — sketches, plans, material boards and site photographs — is being compiled and will follow.

The most important room in this house is the one without a roof. Completion expected in 2026.

Planning something similar?

Tell me the location, size and rough budget, and I will explain what can be done and how long it might take.

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