Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award in Mapangidwe a Nyumba, Zomanga ndi Zomangidwa Competition Category.
BronzeZomangamanga· 2026
Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo
Client: AIDA SEKKEI Co., Ltd.
Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award Winner in Zomangamanga Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #181404The Design
About Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo
Kinuta ndi nyumba yokhalamo yomangidwa pa malo aang'ono a m'tauni ku Tokyo, Japan. Malowa ali ndi m'lifupi mwa mamita 3.6, ndipo malamulo obwezera nyumba m'mbuyo amachepetsa m'lifupi mogwiritsidwa ntchito kufika pansi pa mamita 2.6. Malo ochezera, odyera, ndi khitchini aikidwa pansanjika yachiwiri kuti pakhale chinsinsi komanso kuwala kwa dzuwa kochokera kumwera. Bwalo lozunguliridwa ndi makoma, lokhala ndi deki yamatabwa ndi makoma obiriwira obzalidwa zomera, limasandutsa malo obwezedwa m'mbuyo aja kukhala chipinda chakunja chabata. Khomo lolowera, khonde, ndi masitepe zimapanga mzere umodzi wolunjika womwe umatsindika kuzama kwa nyumbayo. Zokutira zakunja za seramiki zakuda zokhala ndi njira yolumikizira youma zimapangitsa kuti mizere yolumikizira ya kunja kwa nyumbayo ipitirire mosadukiza, kuphatikizapo m'makona.
The Recognition
About the Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award
Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka kwambiri komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino kwambiri omwe amaonekera ndi luso lolenga, kuchenjera ndi nzeru zakuthwa. Opambana a Bronze ndi zinthu zaluso kwambiri ndi zolenga modabwitsa zomwe zimatsimikizira zochitika zazikulu, kulingalira ndi kuchenjera kwa opanga awo. Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo akuyembekezeka kukhala chinthu choyamikiridwa, chosirira ndi chokondedwa, chaukatswiri wapadera ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a luso, sayansi, kapangidwe ndi ukadaulo ndipo ndi abwino kwambiri chifukwa cha kusamala kwawo zazing'ono. Kinuta Nyumba Yokhalamo amakwaniritsa zosowa mokongola, kukhudza zilakolako, kukopa mitima ndi kudzutsa chidwi.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- A premium residence for a family of three on an "eel's bed" plot. Although the site is 3.6 m wide, setback rules reduce the effective frontage to under 2.6 m. The LDK is lifted to the second floor for privacy and southern daylight, while a walled courtyard with a timber deck and green walls turns the setback zone into a calm outdoor room. A continuous frame integrates the boundary wall, balcony, and eaves, giving a strong identity to a minimal frontage.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Site area 54.97 m2. Building area 27.48 m2. Total floor area 54.96 m2. Building frontage 2680 mm. Long narrow site approx. 3.6 m by 15 m. Eaves height from design GL 6.810 m. Main living, dining, and kitchen on the second floor. Courtyard and deck within the setback zone.
- Tags
- Narrow House, Urban Infill, Courtyard, Setback Strategy, Second Floor Living, Privacy and Daylight, Dry Joint Facade, Compact Residence, Tokyo Housing
- Production Technology
- The exterior uses dark ceramic siding designed for a dry joint system. The panel module and joint layout were coordinated from the early design stage to keep the joint rhythm continuous, including at corners. A white post and nameplate, together with dark metal fittings, are composed as sharp accents. Inside, the courtyard deck and planted green walls form a durable interface between interior life and an outdoor retreat.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest challenge was achieving comfort and dignity within severe statutory limits. Facing a 4 m wide road, the building was tightly controlled by slant plane and setback regulations, with no relaxation available and sky factor use not permitted. At the same time, close neighbors required strong privacy. The design responds by lifting the LDK, inserting a walled courtyard, and refining facade joints to maintain architectural tension at a very small scale.
- Research
- ype of research: Applied design research for compact housing. Objective: Maximize daylight, privacy, and perceived spaciousness under strict setback rules. Methodology: Iterative massing studies, section checks, and module studies for dry joint cladding. Tools: Sketches, scaled models, and CAD. Results: A second floor LDK and a setback courtyard that add light and a private outdoor room, plus a facade with a continuous joint rhythm. Impacts: A transferable approach for premium living on narrow urban plots.
- Inspiration
- The project was driven by a question: how can a very narrow house feel generous without relying on tricks? In dense Tokyo neighborhoods, privacy and sunlight are often traded off. By moving the living spaces upward and carving a courtyard within the regulatory setback, the house gains light, air, and a personal exterior space. The facade detailing was inspired by product-like precision, with dry-joint planning from the earliest design stage to keep corners crisp.
- Project Duration
- Designed and completed in Setagaya (Kinuta), Tokyo, Japan.
- Operation Flow
- A linear sequence begins at the entrance and continues as a corridor and stair, emphasizing depth on the narrow plot. Arrival to the second floor LDK opens to southern light and a private courtyard. Daily living extends to the timber deck and green walls. The continuous frame unifies the balcony, eaves, and boundary wall, defining the home's compact yet premium character.
- Patents
- All images and project content are Nobuaki Miyashita / MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Nobuaki Miyashita
Image #2: Nobuaki Miyashita
Image #3: Nobuaki Miyashita
Image #4: Nobuaki Miyashita
Image #5: Nobuaki Miyashita
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