Todai Housing at Yayoi Commons

In Japan, shifting societal norms raise concerns about cultural sustainability and wellness. The rise of single-family and single-person homes erodes social connections as nuclear and extended familial structures decline. Estimates indicate that by 2040, around 40% of the population will live in such arrangements.

Situated on the outskirts of Tokyo University Campus, this site is ideal for student housing and community services. The project proposes an experimental mixed living environment, housing foreign students with Japanese locals to foster interaction, enhance well-being, and address shared cultural and wellness challenges. Todai Housing features game rooms, shared kitchens, study rooms, and reimagined hallways for interaction, while offering seclusion in private balconies and reading spaces. The Commons connects Todai Housing to the Yayoi neighborhood through additional programming and creates gathering spaces along an existing pedestrian corridor.

Todai Housing aims to mend the housing and connectivity rift by reimagining living spaces as hubs fostering connection, support, and idea exchange. It promotes wellness, nurtures communal ties, and embraces diversity.

Typology: Mixed housing
Program: Housing, Cafe, multipurpose space
Material: Concrete, Steel, Glass