Tokyo Lofts Designed to Keep Residents Healthy

The secret to staying young and healthy? According to New York-based architects Arakawa + Gins, it may be your house. But we’re not talking about just any house. The architects, who call themselves “reversible destiny” philosophers, have created Reversible Destiny Lofts in the Mitaka area of Tokyo that are designed to stimulate the inhabitants’ senses and keep them challenged mentally and physically.

The fantastical lofts make even the most everyday tasks more challenging for the people living there, requiring use of their imagination, balance, and strength. The floors look like they have moguls. The power outlets and switches are positioned in strange places. To get to the balcony, you need to squeeze through a tiny door. There’s a clash of colors on every surface. All well and good, but what about comfort? Arakawa + Gins think it should serve only a minor role in homes.

So how much does it cost to buy yourself a longer life? Two of the lofts are currently for rent for 220,000 and 225,000 yen per month ($2,000 and $2,400 U.S. dollars), which seems expensive, but fairly on par with the pricey real estate in Tokyo.

To see a video of the lofts (in Japanese) and more photos, check out this post on Pinktentacle.com.