Discomforts of Home

What we most love about all things Japanese is that they vary so radically from intelligent design to the completely wacky. The most recent work from New York based designers Arakawa and Gin is a wonderful example of the latter.

The creative duo have unveiled a small and most unusual apartment block based in Mitaka, Tokyo. Reversible Destiny Lofts are eye-catching brightly painted lofts that look like a McDonald's play ground through the eyes of someone on LSD. The architecture looks like the aftermath of a size 3 earthquake, a little shaken and lopsided. There is a method behind the designers madness however.
Arakawa believes that comfort makes you grow old quick, and that residents, in particular elderly ones, need to be kept on their toes by having their interiors physically challenge them. Lopsided floors force the resident to maintain a good sense of balance , strangely located light switches insist we feel around for the light, whilst small veranda doors will ask you to crawl and bend to enter.

How much does this physical challenge cost? Priced at US$750,000 each, the houses are three times more expensive than other apartments in the same neighborhood.