Introducing House with a Light Well, a custom-built home example by Yu Architectural Design Studio, a Architect / Design office in 159-20 Tsuboi-cho, Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture

This is a compact single-story residence of 56 square meters located in a residential neighborhood of Ichikawa. To the east and south, three-story buildings closely surround the site, and the previous house suffered from limited sunlight penetration, resulting in a dark interior.

In rebuilding as a single-story home, it was anticipated that capturing ample natural light would be even more challenging than with the former two-story structure. To address this, a central atrium featuring clerestory windows—a light well—was devised to channel sunlight deep into the interior, creating a bright and airy living environment throughout the house.

The exterior is clad in charred cedar (Shou Sugi Ban), harmonizing with the gabled roof form to blend into the surrounding context while expressing a distinctive architectural presence. Site: Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture
Use: Detached single-family residence
Structure: Wood-frame, single-storey
Total floor area: 56 m²
Building footprint: 59 m²