For generations, this house remained in the hands of the same family, quietly accumulating traces of everyday life and memory. Although the current owner now lives overseas, he chose to hold onto the property, guided by a strong emotional connection to what he had inherited.
Project Name: Minamichō House
Studio Name: Roovice
Project Location: Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Completion Year: 2025
Gross Built Area (m2/ ft2): 112 ㎡
Photo Credits: Akira Nakamura
Instead of selling, the house was reactivated through ROOVICE’s Kariage framework—a system that renovates vacant homes and subleases them. This approach allows owners to retain their properties without taking on the responsibilities of management, while enabling the house to be inhabited again without losing its character.
The project began by closely observing and understanding the existing conditions. Rather than redefining the house, the design focused on subtracting elements that limited its potential.
On the ground floor, the kitchen had originally been tucked away in a dark, enclosed corner. By removing the surrounding partitions, it was brought back into the heart of the home. The newly opened kitchen now faces a dining space created within a former tatami room, oriented toward the garden. Exposed structural beams, revealed through the demolition, were retained and incorporated into a new counter, forming a gentle spatial boundary without enclosing the space again. Where reinforcement was necessary, recycled beams were added alongside the original structure, making these interventions visible rather than hidden.
The previously fragmented layout of small rooms was gradually opened up. A narrow corridor leading to the kitchen was absorbed into the main living area, while two tatami rooms were combined to create a continuous living and dining space finished with teak flooring. Restored shoji screens maintain a soft threshold between interior and garden.
Ceilings in these areas were removed, exposing a layered structure with varying heights. Instead of flattening these differences, the design embraces them. A slender panel with integrated lighting was introduced above the kitchen counter to mediate these transitions. Additional lighting points were installed directly onto the beams, allowing future residents flexibility in how they use the space.
Throughout the house, elements with a strong presence were preserved. The original yellow kitchen remains, retaining its distinct character. In the bathroom, the sliding glass door and TOTO sink cabinet were kept, while a new unit bath was added to improve functionality without erasing the existing atmosphere.
In the corridor, the former dual toilet arrangement was reorganized into a more practical layout: a single toilet paired with an additional sink area, extending into a storage zone that now also serves as a laundry space.
Near the entrance, a former music room retained its unique ambiance. Its wooden wall boards, built-in bookshelf niche, and original light fixtures were all preserved and restored. Due to structural deterioration, the floor had to be reconstructed and is now finished with lauan plywood.
The staircase, once enclosed, was opened up, allowing light from the stair window to reach deeper into the entrance area and subtly changing the spatial perception.
On the upper floor, the tatami rooms were refreshed, while one room was updated with PVC tile flooring to accommodate more flexible use. The previously undersized toilet was enlarged to meet current standards. Outside, the veranda had deteriorated significantly; its flooring was replaced, restoring it as a usable extension of the second floor, in connection with the carefully renewed garden below.
The intervention avoids overt gestures. One of the few noticeable changes is the entrance door, repainted in a deep green—a quiet indication of the house’s new chapter.
