House in Okusawa
HOUSE IN OKUSAWA
Schemata Architects
ARCHITECTS
Schemata Architects
LOCATION
Tokyo, Japan
CATEGORY
Houses
AREA
136.46 m2
PROJECT YEAR
2009
PHOTOGRAPHS
Takumi Ota
Text description provided by architect.
This is a renovation project. The house was built during the post-war era of Japan, when the influence of western design became popular.
The superficial imitation of western architecture was used for the design of common housing, as seen in so-called Provence or English style houses in Japan.
As a part of this trend, the house in Okusawa sought to imitate the English brick house.
It had a triangular wooden gable, typical of the English roof, while it also included a parapet.
At first sight it looks like a RC structure, but this is misleading; the wooden beams are reinforced by steel frames to lessen the number of interior pillars.
While the house might be superficial, it retains a certain charm that reminds us of familiar human feelings.
Rather than denying its immaturity out of the post-war period, we have taken a gentle and positive attitude towards it and renovated it into a home suitable for today.
