There are huge rectangular holes in the walls and floors of this Tokyo house by Japanese studio Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects.
Wooden ladders connect each of the four split-level storeys and a staircase with built-in storage leads up from the ground floor studio to the dining room and kitchen on the staggered floor above.
One ladder travels up from the dining room to the living room, which then steps down to the bedroom through the wide hole in the wall.
Another ladder connects the living room with the skeletal top level, where four holes in the floor give the room a cross-shaped layout.
A small study area is sunken into one of these holes and residents use the floor above it as a desk.
Lamps of different lengths also hang through the holes and a final ladder leads up to a terrace on the roof.
Similar Japanese houses we've featured include a split-level residence with a narrow lightwell and another house with holes in the walls.
See all our stories about Japanese houses »
Photography is by Hiroyasu Sakaguchi.
Here's some information from the architects:
House T is a residence and atelier for a couple in the centre of Tokyo. Floors like bookshelves are placed at the different level in the shifted box.
Furniture is put on each floor to create living room, dining room, kitchen and bedroom.
The floors are only hooked by columns which are three-dimensionally intersected at the middle of the box.
This simple structure gives latitude for space composition.
In the massive volume of the box, each different activity of daily living takes place at each floor with open view.
Lighting hangs from top of the box to each floor to illuminate them like a floating stage.
Client: A couple
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Built area: 75.62 sq m (total)
Completion date: May 2012
Structure: Wood Flame, two-storey
