Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala by Nobuaki Miyashita

Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ibhaso Lebhronzi le-A' Design Award in Uyilo lweZakhiwo, Isakhiwo kunye neMilo Competition Category.

IbhronziUyilo lweZakhiwo· 2026

Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala

by Nobuaki Miyashita

Client: AIDA SEKKEI Co., Ltd.

Ibhaso Lebhronzi le-A' Design Award Winner in Uyilo lweZakhiwo Category

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The Design

About Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala

IKinuta yindlu yokuhlala eyakhiwe kwisiza esimxinwa sedolophu eTokyo, eJapan. Isiza sibubanzi obuzii-3.6 m, kwaye imithetho yokubuyisela umva icutha ubungakanani bendawo ephambili isetyenziswayo ibe ngaphantsi kwe-2.6 m. Indawo yokuhlala, yokutyela nekhitshi ibekwe kumgangatho wesibini ukuze kufunyanwe ubumfihlo nokukhanya kwelanga elivela emzantsi. Iyadi ebiyelweyo enedeki yomthi neendonga eziluhlaza ezityaliweyo iguqula ummandla wokubuyisela umva ube ligumbi langaphandle elizolileyo. Umnyango, ipaseji nezinyuko zenza ulandelelwano oluthe tye olugxininisa ubunzulu. Ukugqunywa kwangaphandle ngeseramikhi emnyama kunye nenkqubo yokudibanisa eyomileyo kugcina iindibaniso zefasade ziqhubeka ngokungaqhawukiyo, kuquka nakwiikona.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Lebhronzi le-A' Design Award

Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Lebhronzi le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo kakhulu okunikwa imiyilo ephawulekayo eyahlukaniswa kukuyila, ubukrelekrele nobukrelekrele. Abaphumeleleyo beBhronzi ziimveliso ezinobuchule obukhulu nezidala ngokumangalisayo ezingqina amava aphangaleleyo, ukucinga nokwazi ukuzenzela kwabayili bazo. Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala iyathenjwa ukuba ibe yimpahla exatyiswa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo enobungcali obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha. Lo myilo uphumeleleyo weIbhaso Lebhronzi le-A' Design Award ubandakanya iindlela ezilungileyo kakhulu kubugcisa, inzululwazi, uyilo kunye nobuchwephesha kwaye ugqwesile ngenxa yokunikela ingqalelo kwiinkcukacha. Kinuta Indlu Yokuhlala iyanelisa iimfuno ngokumangalisayo, ichukumisa iinqwenelo, ikhwebela iimvakalelo kwaye itsala umdla.

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