Architects: Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates Photography: Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates Construction Period: 2020 Location: Kariya, Japan
To what extent can a house incorporate the surrounding environment? Although the area is dotted with farmland, the houses around the site are separated by walls and fences, just like in urban areas. In this project, I used a large roof to create a gentle connection between the surrounding environment and the interior spaces and activities of daily life.
The floor plan is based on the dimensions derived from the verification of daily life activities, and consists of 2.3m wide rooms in a cross shape. Around the rooms, four eaves are arranged as a garden. A dining room and a sofa space intervene in a part of the garden. Each room receives light and wind from the two adjacent gardens.
The generous space under the eaves opens up the family’s activities from rain and sunshine. Each garden has a different purpose, such as outdoor living, entrance approach, vegetable garden, and laundry drying.
Read MoreThe eaves of a Japanese house are usually placed at the edge of the building by about one meter, but in this project, the eaves are reversed and placed under the roof with a narrow interior space and depth. By reinterpreting the relationship between the interior and the eaves, the living space is intended to extend to the outside and to the surrounding environment, including the farmland. It is a house that shades the farmland and connects the environment and lifestyle.
Text provided by the architect.
