HOUSE – S

This is a custom home plan for a parent and their three children. The site is located in a quiet suburb and it takes about an hour from central Tokyo by train. It being close to a busy road, the requirement was to design a symbolic and aesthetic exterior appearance while securing privacy. The residential space consisted of three volumes are partitioned off by three walls to bring a comfortable rhythm to the facade. These volumes are enveloped by the boundary walls and a gate placed in periphery of the site which produced a buffer zone full of light and fresh air that loosely link inside and outside the property. By fully taking the sight from the neighbors and the road into account we were able to add variety to the height of the wall for each place so as to bring sunlight into the rooms as much as possible while protecting the family’s visual privacy. We reflected Japan’s strict height regulations for buildings in the facade design and achieved a cool and remarkable design, turning adversity into advantage. We planted black bamboo in a row on the approach to the front door and casted light upwards for the purpose of adding the essence of classical Japanese style. This staging created a great ambience. Siding panels textured with deep shadow lines were chosen for the outer walls. The first floor is mainly a large space consisted of living, dining, and kitchen space which is linked to courtyard-style terrace. On the second floor, there are three children's rooms and a guest room. The guest room is a room with split levels and the upper level space has a tatami-matted floor with refined Japanese modern interior details. The most private area in the house, the master bedroom is placed on the third floor. By making use of the sloped ceiling, its construction of space offers an expressive interior.