Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026
Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026

Akiya

An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about akiya

Project • By ROOVICE • Private Houses

Nukui House

Nukui House: Transforming a 1976 Tokyo Home Through Practical Renovation Located in the quiet residential streets of Nukui, Tokyo, Nukui House is a renovation of a 1976 wooden home through Roovice's Kariage initiative. The project demonstrates the potential of Tokyo’s aging residential stock, showing how targeted interventions can extend the life of existing structures while addressing urban vacancy challenges. Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Context and InitiativeThe Kariage initiative revitalizes vacant properties at no cost to owners, offering a practical solution to Japan’s growing akiya problem while preserving their history. Nukui House, located in Tokyo... More

Project • By ROOVICE • Private Houses

House in Sumida

Revitalizing a 1970s Wooden House in Sumida: Adaptive Reuse with Modest Updates In Mukojima’s eastern district, a short walk from the station, stands a 65m² wooden, two-story house built in the 1970s. Previously dark and compact, the house has now been updated to better suit contemporary lifestyles through thoughtful, modest changes.  Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura This renovation is part of Roovice's Kariage initiative, through which we renovate old vacant properties and sublease them at no cost to the owner. The project was launched in response to Japan's ongoing akiya issue, with over 10 million vacant properties across the country. Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura... More

Project • By ROOVICE • Housing

Ōmori House

The Ōmori House, a 60-year-old, two-storey wooden residence situated in the Ōta ward of Tokyo, stands as a testament to the architectural heritage of the area. This dwelling encapsulates a retro aesthetic that harmonizes seamlessly with its surroundings. Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Having housed a long-term tenant, the property then faced a period of over 10 years of vacancy due to its age and the owner's concerns over marketability. In a fortuitous turn of events, the property owner became acquainted with our Kariage initiative and chose to engage with it. This initiative specializes in revitalizing and subleasing aging, unoccupied properties at no cost to the owner, offering a creative solution to Japan's... More

Project • By ROOVICE • Shops

Arakawa House

Arakawa House project is a renovation of a two-story wooden building from the seventies located in Arakawa ward, on the north east end of Tokyo metropolis. Akira Nakamura The ground floor used to be an electronics shop and the upper floor, judging from the disposition, probably served as a dormitory. It was vacant for more than 7 years before the new owner contacted us. Akira Nakamura Given the property’s big dimensions and fragmented inconvenient floor plan, the owner struggled to find tenants and decided to renovate within our Kariage project. At zero cost for the owner Roovice renovates and then takes care of subleasing old vacant houses. The project started in 2015 as a reaction to Japan’s worsening akiya (空き家) p... More