toru kashihara architects has transformed an old noodle factory in southwestern tokyo into ‘house with black ceiling’, a family residence for a couple with a young son. the building is wrapped in black galvalume steel on the outside, while the interior is finished in warm wood. an elongated multipurpose hall marks the heart of the home, where two floating floors called ‘hanging gardens’ provide space for the residents and their pet cats to enjoy sunbathing.all images by takumi ota

‘house with black ceiling’ by toru kashihara architects is located in a block surrounded by a logistical highway that connects tokyo with the western area of japan. the area was densely occupied by small factories once, however, after the manufacturer industry declined, it was transformed into a residential zone. the existing building, which once served as a noodle factory, has been converted into a family home that maintains spatial fragments of its previous use while ensuring a warm, comfortable living space for its residents.

in order to ‘make townspeople forget that it was once a factory’, the japanese architecture studio change the building’s envelope from worn-out wavy slate to black galvalume steel. meanwhile, in the interior space, the studio left the steel structural members of the factory building as it was to ‘remind the residents the family business that their parents ran.’ most of the space on the ground level encloses a large warehouse, while a small entrance leads to the residential area on the upper floor.

from the entrance, a steep spiral staircase like a beanstalk rises winding around a steel column, landing in the elongated multipurpose hall. there, toru kashihara architects has lifted the roof higher than before and added high windows that introduce sunlight and natural air into the room. two floating floors made of steel grating allow residents and their pet cats to enjoy sunbathing, while the sliding door between the hall and dining room opens up to transform the two spaces into a large, single room.

‘the wind captured from the dining room is exhausted through the high window of the hall due to the chimney effect, and you can feel comfortable natural ventilation during spring to autumn,’ explains the japanese studio. the floors and walls inside the residential part of the home are finished with wood, transforming the inorganic factory space into a place where people can live comfortably. meanwhile, the black painted steel members float in the wooden room and melt into the dark, lead-colored ceiling.