We demolished some unused structures and opened space for greenery: the new project would become an art garden. One of the old houses, located in front of the station, was reconverted into an exhibition gallery. The other house, located in the middle of the site, was transformed into a residence for artists and students. The warehouses were renovated as workshop spaces. We moved the parking spaces, previously located in front of the station, to the back of the site, so that the most visible and public area became more open and pleasant for passersby.

We also removed the existing shutters and concrete block walls that surrounded the site. Instead, we designed a bench facing the station covered by a canopy. This canopy invites passersby to sit down, take a rest, start a conversation, and visit the art garden. The garden not only contributes visually, but it is also intended to ameliorate Ota’s harsh summers, known for being some of the hottest in Japan with temperatures reaching 40.C. We substituted asphalt and concrete surfaces with greenery, and provided a series of shades—overhangs and canopies—to create a microclimate that allows people to enjoy the garden even in summer.

We reduced waste and the need for new building supplies by reusing and repurposing materials as much as possible. Taking advantage of Japanese modular wooden construction, we were able to reuse wooden strips, scraped structural members, doors, and windows in the new constructions. The existing pallets, formerly used in the warehouses, were repurposed as fences and garden decks. Old roof tiles, concrete blocks, and stones were repurposed as pavement materials.

With people moving from their air-conditioned cars to air-conditioned shopping centers, Japanese provincial outdoor spaces are becoming deserted. Ota Art Garden offers a vision of an alternative future, where traditional structures coexist with the new, and a green urban microclimate offers opportunities for people to meet and engage with art.

Text provided by the architect.

To address drastic temperature swings, strong North-South winds, maximize interior comfort and minimize energy consumption we placed the openings on the East and West facades achieving cross ventilation, optimal exposure to sun radiation and protection from dominant winds.

The insulation is outside the building envelope creating a continuous insulated volume, eliminating thermal bridges and allowing us to leave the structure exposed on the interior. The façade is a cedar rain screen treated with “Shou Sugi Ban”, a Japanese wood-charring technique that protects cedar from water, fire and insects and doesn’t require maintenance. The wood acquires an iridescent texture reflecting the light and colors through all seasons. Furthermore, the weathering of the façade tunes in with the surrounding landscape, constantly attuned with the woods.

Entering through the front door, the interior mimics the approach to the site: a narrow and long space with indirect light coming from the staircase (driveway) and comprising four bedrooms and three bathrooms in two stories; then it opens to a double height space (the clearing) containing living, dining, open kitchen and a studio. Throughout the building we alternate spans of 4’ to locate doors and windows, and 8’ to frame the views.

Three openings and two pitched roofs: The first large opening gives the master bedroom a bird’s eye view of the mountains. The other two large openings flank the double height space showing the mountains on the West and the treetops on the East. The experience of this space changes through the day and the four seasons, receiving natural light from different sides from sunrise to sunset and witnessing the radical change of the surrounding landscape. The material experience of the house-studio varies with the changes in light, leafiness and forest’s colors.

The building becomes a resonance box that intensifies the experience of the outdoors indoors: Its insertion into the site, its volumetry and its materiality express the site’s calling into matter.

Text provided by the architect.