I wanted to make a house in the new Japanese style, while also keeping it somewhat nostalgic. To make the house lead to the client’s parents’ house (the main house), I used a few methods: the first one was to unify the common parking lot entrance of the 2 households, making each one easier to navigate; the other was to use a machining technique much like the traditional method of chopping trees.
By adopting this traditional method, we were designing a new concept of contemporary Japan. In this way I applied the culture of the tree and the aesthetic sense of Japan. We think of this house as a collection of constructions, and we produced a design that seems to be made out of various different structures. To create an interior space that feels exterior, a private space that feels public, a hall that feels like an avenue. A space where children can run around.
Beyond making city streets like courtyards in order to make them feel more connected to the houses, we want to try and envision the architecture of the future, moving past the inside-outside relationship to find new types of connections. Paint from natural materials has been used on the stucco wall. The color balance was planned at an early stage. The structural materials are of cypress, cedar, local chestnut. The flooring is pine and birch.
Other Features: I have created a wooden louver in order to ensure privacy. All joinery, including this louver, fit in the door pocket. There are 3 types of joinery: the glass door, the door with insect-netting, and the Louver door. It is possible to adjust for wind and solar.