Japanese Near House

Japanese architectural innovation adds to growing list of micro homes

• Located in Tokyo, Japan• Titled so because of its nearness to neighboring

buildings• Designed by Mount Fuji Architects Studio• Designers Masahiro and Mao Harada said, “By

finding ‘nearness’ in ‘smallness’ and making the most of it, the house transcends the realm of architecture…”

• Composed of two separate homes, connected by a courtyard; two stories, one bedroom and one bathroom (807 sq. ft.)

Gate House Back House

Image by Shigeo Ogawa

Front of Near House

Front of Near House

Shigeo Ogawa

View of the Gate House, the entrance and study (top floor) of the house

Shigeo Ogawa

Only bathroom; in Back House (bottom floor)Shigeo Ogawa

Bedroom; in Back House (bottom floor)Shigeo Ogawa

Living area; in Back House (top floor)Shigeo Ogawa

Kitchen; in Back House (top floor)Shigeo Ogawa

Population in Japan:

•Tokyo’s current population is roughly 12,790,000 people •Tokyo is considered one of the most populated cities in the world•Japan is the tenth most populated country following China, India, the US and Russia•However, Japan only has the sixty-first highest land mass

Population Trends in Tokyo

Housing in Tokyo:

•Housing comprises the biggest problem in congested Tokyo•The average age of a first time homeowner is 54•In the rest of Japan, 60% of households are homeowners•In Tokyo, only 40% are homeowners

Housing in US:

•In May 2010, new home sales were the lowest they’re ever been since the Dept. of Commerce began tracking sales in 1963•During the first quarter of 2010, it was estimated that 10% of homeowners missed at least one mortgage payment•“…only the top 5% of all US households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.”

Housing in US:

In the 1980’s, the term ‘McMansion’ was coined for large, architecturally vague, sprawling homes

•In the 1960’s, average home size was 1200 sq. feet•In the 1980’s, 1700 sq. feet•In the 2000’s, 2300 sq. feet

Image by Dean Terry

“Small has always been beautiful in Japan, whether you think of the mini-component audio systems the country pioneered in the 1970s, its cultural love affair with miniaturized potted plants known as bonsai, or the current rage for small-engine mini-cars. Now you can add to the list the current home-design craze: ultra-compact micro-homes on plots so small they could fit into the garage space of your typical, sprawling McMansion in the U.S.” – Horiko Tashiro, a Tokyo based correspondent

Housing in US:

•881 sq. foot eco-home in Houston, Texas by KB Homes•Price range roughly $60,000-70,000•2 bedrooms•Energy Star certified

Image by KB Homes

Ethical Implications and Disadvantages:

•Zoning rules: some places will not allow homes under 700 sq. feet •Financing: many banks are wary to finance micro homes because of poor resale values•Land: the land could be more expensive than the house itself•Degrades look of neighborhood or area

Short-Term Implications:

•Decrease crowding in Tokyo and other cities•Boost housing market all over the world in a struggling economy

Long-Term Implications:

•Encourage eco-friendly living•Inspire more minimalistic approach to living•Bring households closer together

“This is absolutely a long-term effect. Think of families with small children who’ve been foreclosed upon … When these teenagers are in a position to buy a home, they won’t want to go through these experiences they saw their parents go through.”-Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia (real-estate site)

Works Cited Page:

1.Chen, Lo-Fu. Emerging World Cities in Pacific Asia. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 1999.

<http://unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu11ee/uu11ee0g.htm#new%20agglomeration%20and%20tokyo%20problems>. 2. Donsky, Andrea and Randy Boyer. “Houston Gets Greener with Itsy-Bitsy, Energy Efficient Homes.” TreeHugger.com <http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/houston-gets-greener-with-itsy-bitsy-energy-efficient-homes.php>.3. Meinhold, Bridgette. "Ultra-Compact ‘Near House’ is a small space marvel in Japan." Inhabitat.com. <http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/10/25/ultra-compact-near-house-is-a-small-space-marvel-in-japan/>.4. Perman, Cindy. "Death of the McMansion: The Era of Huge Homes is Over." <http://www.cnbc.com/id/38757287//>.5. "Population of Tokyo." Tokyo Metropolitan Government. <http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/overview03.htm>. 6. Snyder, Michael. "15 Signs the U.S. Housing Market is Headed for Complete and Total Collapse." Business Insider.

<http://www.businessinsider.com/15-signs-that-the-us-housing-market-is-headed-for-complete-and-total-collapse-2010-8>.7. Tashiro, Hiroko. “Japan: Micro-Homes in the Big City.” BusinessWeek.com <http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2007/gb20070313_145902.htm>.