Hillside House｜Far East Design Lab.
The site is located on a slope within a residential area developed in the early Showa era on the Tama Hills. The project involved rebuilding an old house that was originally constructed on land set half a level below the adjacent sloping street. Both the original house and the neighboring residences are partially embedded into the terrain below street level, resulting in facades that remain largely concealed from view. The entrance was also situated down a flight of stairs from the street, which inevitably created a dim and introspective threshold.
In this design, two-story floors were established at both the street level and the site level, connected through a series of staggered split levels to form a single, open spatial volume equivalent to two and a half stories in height. Rather than merely a split-level arrangement, the floors appear to float, enabling panoramic views of the cityscape from virtually every vantage point within the house. Especially from the upper levels, one enjoys expansive, vertically and horizontally unfolding vistas as if looking down from the sky. The first floor and garden, positioned half a level below the street, maintain a sense of privacy while creating a spacious, integrated living, dining, and kitchen area that harmonizes seamlessly with the outdoor garden.
