In Tokyo’s Ogikubo neighbourhood, a 40sqm ground-floor apartment has been entirely reimagined into a light-filled home. Designed by Shinji Sonoda, the space was once two enclosed rooms and has been transformed around the concepts of suspension, shape, and shifting light. The project serves a practical purpose, housing a daughter returning to care for her parents who live upstairs. The renovation required a complete rethink of how a compact footprint can accommodate modern living needs while honoring the family’s history.
Heavy Materials Anchored by Light
The renovation draws heavily from the client’s family history. Her parents founded Arakawa Giken Kogyo, a Japanese wire systems company. This business supplies the hardware for the entire apartment. Shelves, partitions, and cabinetry are suspended using these wires rather than attached to walls. This choice keeps the visual weight low and makes the design flexible. The wire’s adjustable nature allows the elements to be repositioned depending on the user’s needs. One kitchen cupboard is held up in part by a timber offcut from a tree that once grew on the property. This reclaimed wood sits warmly against the hard lines of the wire system, adding a quiet nod to the house’s past.
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Throughout the unit, shelves and cabinetry hover within the space rather than resting on the floor. This visual technique lifts the ceiling effectively. Balancing the industrial wire system with softer materials, the kitchen features a compact stainless steel unit. Stainless steel was selected for its durability and reflective qualities. Triangular panels wrap the surrounding walls, increasing the amount of light bouncing around the room throughout the day. A large circular suspended shelf hangs above the bench. Its curves act as a deliberate counterpoint to the angular geometry of the kitchen. Suspended by the same wire system, the shelf uses integrated lighting to cast a glow across the steel surfaces below, making the hard-edged space feel warmer.
Shoji screens are used to create boundaries without blocking light. A custom screen at the entrance filters translucent paper to mark the transition from the family home to the private space. Moving further into the apartment, a second screen hangs between the living and sleeping areas. It conceals the bed from view while maintaining the open flow of the apartment. Behind the screen, a single step leads to the bedroom. The flooring changes to carpet with rounded edges, marking the sleeping zone without a physical wall. The side of the partition facing the room is clad in deep blue tiles, deepening the sense of calm. A full-length wardrobe spans the wall, with upper shelves suspended from the ceiling. Curtains conceal the clothes, illuminated by indirect lighting that casts a diffused glow.
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In a dense urban environment, the use of suspended elements challenges the traditional heaviness of domestic architecture. By lifting objects into the air, the designer reduces the perceived volume required for a functional living space. The suspension of elements removes the visual clutter of floor-to-ceiling furniture, allowing the resident to inhabit a room that feels significantly larger than its actual measurements suggest.
Geometry and the Illusion of Space
The apartment uses specific shapes to guide the eye through the rooms. Triangles, trapezoids, and curved edges softly mark zone changes, while subtle floor-level shifts distinguish the living areas from the sleeping quarters. Rather than relying on fixed walls to define these zones, the layout uses height and material contrast. The deep blue tiles in the bedroom provide a visual anchor, contrasting with the lighter tones elsewhere in the space.
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The stainless steel kitchen is designed to be efficient and easy to maintain. Its placement in a corner maximizes the available floor space. The reflective quality of the metal ensures that the room never feels dark, even on cloudy days. The floating circular shelf serves both a functional and an atmospheric role. It holds items while simultaneously acting as a light source that illuminates the surrounding surfaces. This combination of storage and lighting helps to unify the hard materials of the kitchen with the softer elements of the room.
Swaying Room demonstrates that even a small apartment can feel expansive. By prioritizing suspension, reflection, and light, the design creates a calm and flexible environment. The result is a home that feels larger than its 40sqm footprint, offering a serene retreat within the busy city of Tokyo.
