The “Sky House” by Kiyonori Kikutake (1958)
Kiyonori Kikutake was born in 1928, and became one of the forward-looking Japanese architects who led the post-WWII “metabolism” movement in the 50’s and 60’s along with fellow rising star architects such as Fumihiko Maki and Kisyo Kurokawa, who were influenced by Kenzo Tange.
The “Sky House” was designed by Kiyonori Kikutake in 1958 as his own home and became an iconic piece of architecture.
As the name “Sky House” suggests, it almost looks like it’s floating in the air above the pilotis supported by four pilaster-like columns. The milady-slanted roofs used HP (hyperbolic paraboloid shell), technology Kenzo Tange used for his famous St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo.
The interior had no walls – a continuous space about 10m x 10m which was divided into living, dining and bed room “space,” and kitchen and bathroom “living devices.” It did not follow any presidents, and was utterly unique. The central function was a bedroom space for Kikutake and his wife, which was his declaration that a husband and a wife were equal, and that the space dedicated to the two – which overlooks the rest – was the most important part of this house. If there was one critical change in the Japanese family after WW II, it was the improvement of the status for women. The “Sky House” symbolizes this change, dating from 13 years after the end of the war.
The exposed bottom of the master bedroom looks like the bottom of a LEGO piece, and it actually functions like LEGO. Kikutake designed other parts of the house as “movenetts,” meaning that they could be added, replaced or removed based on changing family needs. During one period, the kids’ room was attached to the master bedroom, hanging from it as seen in the images below. The “movenettes” reflect the philosophy of the “metabolism” movement, in which he was the key member along with other then-young and rising architects including Kisyo Kurokawa.
The Sky House went through several re-organization. After kids’ “movenett” was added, the kitchen was moved to the mezzanine floor (as home appliances such as fridge became larger, they needed more space). Also in order to house an ever-increasing volume of books, a library was added to the pilotis area, then the master bedroom was moved next to it.
At the point of 1994, the pilotis area ended having a library, master bedroom and bathroom. The mezzanine floor housed an entrance, kitchen and dining room, and the second floor had an office and a guest room.
After more than 64 years since it was built, the Sky House is still standing in Tokyo. Unlike Kisyo Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower which was finally demolished without metabolizing, it looks like the Sky House went through several transformations as Kikutake wished. It is inspiring how forward-looking these Japanese architects were in the 50’s and 60’s.
