milimetdesign updated 13/02/2011

in context

’sorte’ by a.l.x. architects in tokyo, japan
all images courtesy a.l.x.
photographer: kouichi torimura

view from the parking lot to the east

entrance of the house at night

kitchen area of apartment B on level +1; staircase leading down to the street entrance

entrance to apartment B (level 0)

bathroom wall of apartment B (level +1)

(left) apartment D leading up to mezzanine level
(right) entrance to apartment A

kitchen space of apartment C with street entrance to the left and stairs leading to the basement level to the right

kitchen/dining/living of apartment E (level 2+)

loft level of apartment E looking down into the common space (level +3)

entrance to apartment D

floor plan / level -1

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

floor plan / level 3

section

exploded axo – apartment unit composition

project info:

structure: reinforced concrete
max height: 10.9 m
site area: 110.26 m2
built area: 63.00 m2
total floor area: 210.75 m2
basement floor area: 40.00 m2
ground floor area: 50.56 m2
first floor area: 46.00 m2
second floor area: 60.74 m2
third floor area: 13.41 m2

junichi sampei of japanese architecture firm a.l.x. has designed a multi-storey
residential building for five households in an old timber structure in tokyo.
resembling a cut piece of jewel with its faceted sides, the white dwelling appears
as one homogeneous unit, concealing the shape and layout of the individual units
from the outside viewer.

in order to efficiently utilize all the available space while still providing
a dynamic and liveable volume for each household, the units are fitted
like tetris pieces on a three-dimensional plane: every apartment is composed
of at least two levels that crisscross over other apartments. by laying out
the units in a vertical direction, dead space is eliminated in the forms of
mezzanines and lofts while simultaneously equipping the units with
an open atmosphere.