ARCHITECTS
Fujiwaramuro Architects
PRINCIPLE USED
Residence
PHOTO BY
Shintaro Fujiwara, Yoshio Muro
STRUCTURE
Wooden
STATUS
Built
TOTAL FLOOR AREA
108.85㎡
SITE AREA
240.68㎡
BUILDING AREA
119.56㎡
STOREYS
1
YEAR
2011
LOCATION
Nara, Japan
TYPE
Residential › Private House
In response to the client’s desire to maintain privacy in relation to the surrounding houses, the design includes a minimum of outward-facing windows and doors, instead arranging the rooms around a central courtyard so that this courtyard is visible from all points in the house.
Because the living room, kitchen, Japanese-style room, children’s room, and bathroom face each other across the courtyard, the design pays particular attention to the relationships between the lines of sight from each room.
For example, the elevation of the floor in the children’s room is lowered, the window in the Japanese-style room is small and low, and the bath is sunk into the floor, all of which helps prevent lines of sight from confronting one another while creating unique perspectives onto the garden from each room.
Planting Japanese ash, rhododendrons (azalea), and other plants around the exterior of the house and installing a bench created connections with the streetscape.
Residents are able to enjoy the changing light and appearance of the plants throughout the four seasons.