UPDATE: SOLD
A contemporary residence designed by famed architect Tadao Ando is currently listed for sale. The 4-bedroom home is located in the trendy Daikanyama neighbourhood and is a 15 minute walk from Shibuya Station.
Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando’s designs are notable both in Japan and overseas. Although he has designed a number of houses in the Osaka/Kansai area, there are only a small number of his residences in the Tokyo area. It is very unusual for us to see homes for sale in central Tokyo that have been designed by this caliber of architect, and the opportunity to live in one of Ando’s residences is something afforded to only a small number of people.
The concrete and glass home has a stark and imposing curved exterior finished in Ando’s trademark exposed concrete. The home was designed as part of Ando’s ‘light and shadow’ series of projects carried out in the early 1990s. It was carefully designed and constructed over a three year period between 1991 and 1993.
Behind the clean exterior lies a private internal courtyard accessible from the living room. Rooms were designed to maximise sunlight and views, while at the same time affording privacy for the residents. The home includes a garage which can park 1 ~ 2 cars, three full bathrooms, 1 guest toilet, a family den, laundry room, and rooftop terraces.
In 2010 this house was rented out to a tenant for 950,000 Yen per month. It is currently vacant.
About the Architect:
Tadao Ando was born in Osaka in 1941, and many of his early works can be found in the Kansai region. His signature use of bare concrete, glass, minimalist interiors and a thoughtful play on natural light is both admired and emulated. His designs stand the test of time, with some of his 25 ~ 30 year old buildings looking as though they were designed yesterday.
Ando’s famous works include:
About the Neighbourhood:
Aobadai is a very wealthy residential neighbourhood and is known for having several large homes owned by Japan’s top CEOS, as well as fashion designers. It is a hillside area situated between Meguro River and Kyu-Yamate Dori Avenue, and is a short walk to the fashionable boutiques, cafes and restaurants in the Daikanyama area. The nearest stations are Daikanyama, Nakameguro and Shibuya Stations.
Market Movements
Government assessed land values in this area are considerably higher than they were 10 years ago (*assessed land values are useful to identify movements in the market but are generally lower than actual market prices).