BAKOKO, an international design studio based in Tokyo, Japan has done great transformation to typical concrete ‘mansion’ apartment blocks into a contemporary Japanese home. Dubbed as M Mansion, this Japanese home design nestled in an eastern Tokyo suburb of Matsudo City, only 30 minutes by train from the city center. This refurbishment project was completed on a modest budget, proving that refurbishing existing properties is still an affordable proposition here.
The small 37m² (400ft²) unit was divided into two Japanese-style rooms with tatami (reed mat) flooring separated by paper (fusuma) sliding screens and a western kitchen. Whilst being perfectly quaint and cozy, this type of interior was simply made for a different generation. An open plan arrangement was sought, but with space in short supply retaining certain traditional Japanese features also made sense.
