Kinuta Fale Nofoia by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Apamemea in Mamanu Fausaga Fale Competition Category.

ApamemeaFausaga Fale· 2026

Kinuta Fale Nofoia

by Nobuaki Miyashita

Client: AIDA SEKKEI Co., Ltd.

A' Design Award Apamemea Winner in Fausaga Fale Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Kinuta Fale Nofoia

O Kinuta o se fale nofoia na fausia i luga o se fasi fanua vaapiapi i le taulaga o Tokyo, Iapani. E 3.6 mita le lautele o le nofoaga, ma o tulafono o le tuufaasolosolo i tua ua faaitiitia ai le pito i luma aoga i lalo ifo o le 2.6 mita. O le vaega o le nofoaga, taumafataga, ma le umukuka ua tuu i le fogafale lona lua ina ia maua ai le puipuiga o le tumaoti ma le malamalama mai i saute. O se lotoā ua siomia i pa faatasi ai ma se fola laupapa ma pa lanumeamata ua totoina laau, ua liua ai le sone o le tuufaasolosolo i tua ma avea o se potu filemu i fafo. O le faitotoa ulufale, alāsavali, ma le faasitepu ua fausia ai se faasologa saʻo e faamamafa ai le loloto. O le puipui pito i fafo e faaaoga ai laupapa sima uliuli ma se faiga o sootaga matutu e faaauau pea ai sootaga o luma o le fale, e aofia ai ma tulimanu.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Apamemea

O le A' Design Award Apamemea na manumalo ai Kinuta Fale Nofoia, o se faamaoniga matuā mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu ese e iloga i le fatufatuaʻi, le atamai ma le poto. O ē manumalo i le Apamemea o mea e iai le tomai atoa ma fatufatuaʻi mataʻina e faamaonia ai le poto masani tele, le mafaufau ma le atamai o tagata mamanu. E faamoemoeina Kinuta Fale Nofoia e avea ma mea e vivii tele, ua pelepelea, e iloga i le tomai faapolofesa ma mea fou. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Apamemea e tuufaatasia ai faiga sili i le faatufugaga, saienisi, mamanu ma tekonolosi ma e sili ona lelei i le mataituina o mea itiiti. Kinuta Fale Nofoia e faamalieina matagofie manaʻoga, pa i manaʻo, faalataina lagona ma faaosofia le fia iloa.

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