Tatsumi Negishi Architectural Studio

A Home for Culinary Enthusiasts｜Custom-built homes by architecture firms8Picks｜A Home That Makes Cooking a Pleasure

Author: Qurasuki Editorial Department

For those who take genuine pleasure in cooking, the kitchen becomes the focal point of the home. Functional work flow, storage planning that facilitates organization of ingredients, cookware and tableware, selection of cooktop type and ventilation system, sink height and materials, and the dimensions and finishes of the worktop—these elements have a direct impact on the quality of time spent cooking. In addition, layouts that allow conversation with family while cooking and open-plan arrangements that enable entertaining guests while preparing food are styles many people seek. An architectural practice does not treat the kitchen as mere equipment but designs it carefully as the core of daily life. Explore examples of homes where cooking takes center stage.

cooking

Boko & Deko

Mitsuhiro Kojima Architects

House with a Café

Archiplace

Designed for a husband whose hobby is confectionery making and a wife who is adept at organization, this residence was planned for the couple and their two daughters. On an approximately 30-tsubo (about 100 m²) site, a simple, highly functional yet playful space was realized. The first floor is organized into a public zone—featuring a café-style doma (earthen-floored entry) and a Japanese tatami room—and a private zone comprising the bedroom and wet areas, with provision for a future single‑floor living arrangement. The second floor contains an open, continuous living/dining/kitchen (LDK) that connects to a deck terrace; the third floor, arranged as split levels, accommodates a study, children’s rooms and a balcony, creating a variety of distinct living places.

＋UMI — Renovation Design Contest Jury Special Prize / TDY Remodel Smile Works Contest (TOTO) Excellence Award

YIA Ishiue Yoshihiro Architectural Design Office

A large deck facing the Seto Inland Sea was introduced so the sea is always perceptible just beyond the interior floor. A sloped lowered ceiling with integrated indirect lighting and a curtain box frames smooth sightlines toward the sea. The kitchen is positioned at the center of the living area to allow cooking while conversing in an open-plan arrangement. A former Japanese-style room was converted into a theater room; when opened, it produces a continuous, dynamic space expressed through a simple design.

A Residence with a Wood-Burning Stove

Tatsumi Negishi Architectural Studio

Located within a north‑facing residential enclave where, due to constraints imposed by an elevated railway, gardens are located to the north and buildings are set toward the south, the clients requested a replacement dwelling that would be bright and warm. The site measures approximately 30 tsubo (about 99 m²) and, with a floor area ratio (FAR) of 80%, private spaces are arranged efficiently to create generous public areas. To respond to the close proximity of neighboring houses, the design incorporates clerestory windows, skylights and vertical slatted screens to admit soft, diffuse daylight. A simple custom kitchen was fabricated through a collaborative effort between the owner and the furniture maker’s son.

Renovation of a Circulatory Maisonette | Sarasa House

Yoshihiro Yamamoto Architects Associates

Renovation of a single unit in a multi-unit residential building designed by architect Takeo Endo. The project preserves the distinctive maisonette configuration and its looped circulation, while addressing aging building services and upgrading thermal insulation and acoustic performance. Respecting the familiar floor plan that the occupants had lived with for many years, the design carefully resolves existing shortcomings. The proposal advocates a “grafting” approach to renovation—one that inherits and develops the original design intent.

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「ha」 hosaka hironobu architect associate

Thinly sliced natural stone panels produced using specialized techniques are employed at strategic points to impart depth and a refined sense of luxury to the design. In one corner of the living–dining–kitchen area, a 1.0 m × 3.4 m island kitchen is installed, recalibrating the perception of the space’s scale. From the terrace, night views of the Tokyo Skytree can be enjoyed, creating a private oasis in the heart of the city.

Tsukuba Midorino House

Yu Architectural Design Studio

This residence with an integrated coffee stand is planned within a land readjustment development area. The fenestration employs uPVC window frames, and a Type 1 mechanical ventilation system utilizing the underfloor void has been adopted. The building’s thermal performance corresponds to Insulation Grade 5, meeting ZEH (Net Zero Energy House) standards. The residential façade is clad in Galvalume steel panels, while the shop façade uses charred cedar (shou sugi ban); the overall design is intended to harmonize with the surrounding streetscape.

KAN

JYU ARCHITECT

This apartment renovation maximizes the views from the 10th floor. Situated on a site blessed with city views to the east and Mount Fuji to the southwest, the layout of private rooms and the kitchen was reorganized so that the landscape can be enjoyed in everyday life. The shared space opens widely toward the views, the previously underutilized east deck was regenerated as an outdoor room connected to the kitchen, and movable partitions were introduced to reconcile openness with flexible use, creating a living environment that balances spaciousness and adaptability.