The Reversible Destiny Lofts, Renowned for Their Atypical Design
This apartment complex built in west Tokyo exemplifies a desire to defy and shake up the normal rules of architecture.
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
The Reversible Destiny Lofts were designed by Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa, a couple, both of whom were internationally renowned architects and artists, in honour of American author and militant Helen Keller.
Their ‘house-obstacles’ innovate not only through their external appearance but also through the layout of the interior space.
No sense of space or balance
To access the verandas, residents have to bend down or crawl to reach the small door. The narrow interior passages also require residents to be constantly bending and contorting their bodies. Being relatively impractical, indeed illogical, the unusual design of these lofts tends to confuse visitors.
These multicoloured constructions with disparate shapes rethink architecture in all its forms, because there is no sense of space or balance, despite these having always represented the fundamental principles of housing design. These atypical buildings attract an endless stream of visitors, while some are available for residential or short-term rental.
Reversible Destiny Lofts (2005), a project by architects Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka – In Memory of Helen Keller / Created in 2005 by Arakawa and Madeline Gins / ©2005 Estate of Madeline Gins
Reversible Destiny Lofts
2 Chome-2-8 Osawa Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015
www.rdloftsmitaka.comTRENDING
-
Vegan Recipe for Sizzling Tofu and Mushrooms in Miso Sauce by Naoko Takei Moore
The success of this dish hinges on the variety of mushrooms used and on the 'donabe', the clay pot in which it is simmered.
-
Namio Harukawa, Master of Japanese SM Art
'Garden of Domina' offers a dive into the world of an icon of ‘oshiri’, whose work has now reached a global audience.
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
Recipe for ‘Okayu’ from the Film ‘Princess Mononoke’
This rice soup seasoned with miso is served by a monk to Ashitaka, one of the heroes in Hayao Miyazaki's film.
-
Carving the Universe in Paper
An exhibition celebrates the diverse techniques that elevate paper to an art form, from origami to sculpture and ‘kirie’.
