Light, Privacy,
and Urban Presence

The site is a corner lot on Otsunaka-dori, one of Kobe’s central commercial streets lined with fine modern buildings and fashionable shops. It is a cultural hub, a place every young person in Kobe is likely to have passed at least once. Here, we planned a five-story steel-framed complex building with two-family residences and retail space, with a building footprint of 29.6 tsubo (≈98 m²) and a total floor area of 114 tsubo (≈377 m²).

From the outset, the planning process emphasized the fact that this was a highly visible corner site on Otsunaka-dori. The building needed to contribute to the character of its distinguished streetscape. Accordingly, the exterior design paid particular attention to:

• Careful treatment of the chamfered corner characteristic of corner lots.
• A window composition echoing modernist precedents while incorporating contemporary elements as a visual focal point.
• A straightforward alignment with the block and lot divisions of Otsunaka-dori.

At the same time, one of the challenges of residential buildings in commercial districts is the difficulty of maintaining privacy. Even when seeking to bring in daylight from the street, curtains tend to remain drawn. To address this, an external lightwell was introduced on the third and fourth floors, bringing light and air into the entire home. Though modest in size, such private outdoor spaces bring richness to daily life. Opening the curtains to the greenery of the Light Court offers a momentary escape from the bustle of the city.