Kinuta Casa Residencial by Nobuaki Miyashita

Kinuta Casa Residencial by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Bronze in Design de Arquitetura, Edifícios e Estruturas Competition Category.

BronzeArquitetura· 2026

Kinuta Casa Residencial

by Nobuaki Miyashita

Client: AIDA SEKKEI Co., Ltd.

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Arquitetura Category

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The Design

About Kinuta Casa Residencial

Kinuta é uma casa residencial construída em um lote urbano estreito em Tóquio, no Japão. O terreno tem 3,6 m de largura, e as regras de recuo reduzem a testada útil para menos de 2,6 m. A área de estar, jantar e cozinha foi posicionada no segundo pavimento para garantir privacidade e luz natural voltada ao sul. Um pátio murado, com deque de madeira e paredes verdes plantadas, transforma a zona de recuo em um tranquilo ambiente ao ar livre. A entrada, o corredor e a escada formam uma sequência linear que enfatiza a profundidade. O revestimento cerâmico escuro, com sistema de junta seca, mantém as juntas da fachada contínuas, inclusive nos cantos.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Kinuta Casa Residencial conquistou o A' Design Award de Bronze, um reconhecimento altamente prestigiado atribuído a designs notáveis que se distinguem pela criatividade, engenho e perspicácia. Os vencedores do Bronze são artefactos amplamente habilidosos e surpreendentemente criativos que comprovam a vasta experiência, imaginação e capacidade de iniciativa dos seus designers. Espera-se que Kinuta Casa Residencial seja um objeto muito considerado, admirado e estimado, notavelmente profissional e inovador. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Bronze incorpora as melhores práticas em arte, ciência, design e tecnologia e é excelente pela sua atenção ao detalhe. Kinuta Casa Residencial satisfaz esplendidamente necessidades, toca desejos, encanta sentimentos e desperta curiosidade.

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