Reports: Tokyo’s Nest – Minimal Dwelling with Kinetic Stairs

© Stéphane Orsolini / Hiroshi Yamasaki
© Stephan Klonk
© Stéphane Orsolini / Hiroshi Yamasaki
Can a building only 60 cm wide function? Planning laws in Tokyo have resulted in narrow gaps between nearly all structures in the city. To create valuable additional dwelling space, therefore, the idea of exploiting these waste areas was explored. Access to the first of four dwelling platforms is provided by opening a horizontal roller shutter and drawing down a flight of stairs. After the staircase has been hoisted up again, the roller shutter is closed to form the actual floor. To reach the areas on the upper level, the stairs are turned upwards in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction in guide tracks built into the walls. The horizontal division between the first and second floor levels is formed by folding panels.