Tokyo-based studio Do Do has designed this house and studio for a graphic designer and his wife, and created a special elevated pathway for their pet cat.
Do Do建筑设计事务所受这对夫妇的委托设计了这座住宅,业主要求增加一个工作空间,并为猫咪设计趣味性的玩耍途径。
The two-storey residence named House-Is is clad in black corrugated metal and occupies a small plot of land in Tokyo's Koto-ku district.
Do Do was asked to include a studio space, as well as playful additions for the cat, in the couple's home.
A workspace for the graphic-designer client is set on the ground floor, where a white shelf at the top of the room leads to a square opening in the staircase banister – allowing the cat to pop in and out.
"The husband, who is a cat-owner, hoped his house to be creative both for his work and cat, and my aim was to create a comfortable living space in this busy district of Tokyo," explained the architect.
The studio has wooden floors and a small alcove for printing. A sliding white partition separates the space from a meeting room, which features a wooden table and bench seats.
The space has concrete floors and white walls intended as a blank backdrop for hanging artwork.
通过一扇折叠门,我们可以进入到小巧的住宅,住宅采用了明亮的白墙和浅色调的木材装饰。
A folding door provides the main entrance to the minimal house, which features bright white walls and accents of light-coloured wood.
高高的楼梯间整合了橱柜可以作为底层工作空间和上部的起居空间的分隔。
一扇方形窗户,放大了猫步道的空间,也为通向休息室的楼梯间引入了自然光。
A tall staircase balustrade with integrated cabinets acts as a partition between the ground-level workspace and the living areas up above.
A square window – a larger version of the cat-sized doorway – lights the staircase leading up to the lounge.
Built-in furniture is used to define spaces throughout. A black wooden storage unit in the centre of the space houses the television, as well as separating the bedroom from the living room.
The bathroom, kitchen and laundry room occupy a central white volume, which has an opening to the lounge area. It is wrapped by a further staircase that leads to a garden on the rooftop.
House-Is is not the first time that architects have been requested to design residences with a client's feline friend in mind.
Others include another property in Tokyo by Key Operation that was designed around the movements of the pet, while OBBA completed a house in Seoul with a dedicated cat loft