A Residence with Workspace for Living with Cats｜JYU ARCHITECT

This residence was designed within a neighborhood where both old and new buildings coexist. The site’s longitudinal axis faces north, imposing stringent height and building angle restrictions across the entire plot. To efficiently maximize floor area and realize a more enriched living environment, the building’s volume was configured as a skip-floor arrangement with half of it set as a semi-basement level.

While each spatial zone is moderately segmented, they remain interconnected, creating a sense of spaciousness and openness that far exceeds the numerical floor area. The varying ceiling heights further enhance the ambiance, resulting in a comfortable home that adapts seamlessly to diverse daily living scenarios.

Features include an entrance porch accessible from a built-in garage where umbrellas are unnecessary even in rain; a dining area with lofty ceilings that opens onto an outdoor terrace, fostering a sense of openness; a tranquil living room equipped with cat steps designed specifically for feline inhabitants; a bright, functional kitchen with ample storage that makes cooking a pleasure; a workroom on the semi-basement floor overlooking the courtyard, offering a focused environment for work; and a tatami guest room suitable for practicing traditional Japanese dance, among others.

The design thoughtfully incorporates ideas that refine and elevate the client’s existing lifestyle.

For the safety of the beloved cats, specialized fittings prevent their escape at the entrance, and additional partitions in the workroom prevent feline intrusion during web conferences. The building employs a hybrid whole-house air conditioning system that leverages underfloor spaces, combining radiant and convective heating/cooling with a single air conditioning unit, thereby achieving a comfortable indoor environment while minimizing operational costs. The structure meets a UA value of 0.57 W/(㎡K) in compliance with ZEH standards, exceeds insulation performance grade 5, and incorporates seismic control measures capable of withstanding repeated major earthquakes.

Against a backdrop of persistently high construction costs, the project prioritized natural materials while maintaining building performance through careful selection based on defined priorities.

Building Overview

Site area: 75.35 m² (22.79 tsubo)
Total floor area: 94.74 m² (28.66 tsubo)
Contractor: Enaka Construction Co., Ltd.
Referred by The House

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