A 60-year old modernist home in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward has just been demolished. The ‘SH-60’ house was designed by Kenji Hirose. It had a floor area of just 29 sqm (312 sq.ft) and was designed for a famous painter and illustrator.
Hirose (1922-2012) was known for his ‘SH’ series of homes built between the 1950s and 1960s. SH referred to steel house, although you wouldn’t be wrong for thinking it referred to a small house. Many of these homes were compact in size but incorporated as much outdoor space as possible. SH-60 was just a one-bedroom residence but included an enclosed outdoor deck that was almost as large as the internal floor size.
His first home, SH-1, was built in Kamakura in 1953. He would go on to design approximately 67 homes throughout his career. Sadly, they are becoming fewer in number as owners demolish them.
