Home divided into two: area where each person spends time alone and where family gather

Architects: Motoki Ishikawa Architect & Associates
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Year: 2014
Area: 1,152 ft²/ 107 m²
Photo courtesy: Masao Nishikawa
Description:

“The project area is a residential area surrounding by buildings, including the front path, consequently all building stands too close to be seen by each other. Even residential area, we can say it will be continue changing because there are many kinds of scenery of many kinds of periods. It can be say not only for city but also for the situations of residents living here. I thought the architecture should be considered the city view and have good distance with surroundings, and have to think about the crowded situation, changing of peripheral part and the life of future residents.

The construction is divided in the building where each person spends time and where family gather, by the stairs room. The strongly reinforced pent-roof bind the two buildings. For the result of the layout, each buildings surrounding the approach and the pent-roof barrier for circumference that also controlling proportion, the approach acquires compatibility like inner court. This closed, though opened approach become a buffer zone – keeping distance to circumference but also surrounding so that solve narrowness and can get stable light not effected by any situations.

Inside the building, the continuance of changeful space made by height-different skip floor makes us feel more expanse than the acreage. The lag made by the construction control line of sight, also make moderate connection that can be feel each sign. The stair room between the building become buffer-zone, gives a not too close distance to each room like sleeping space, gathering space. From the opening, we can see neighborhood over the buffer-zone-approach, so it haves good distance with ambient environment. On the top of the building, there is roof terrace and loft. Also here has height level difference to make independency, and to communicate with family at living room or each room.

I examine closely the distance of periphery, outside and inside, and endeavored to make the house that stands natural, quiet, in times in the future, for the residents can receive the good life environments and the architecture can be adapt to each conditions in each time.”