From the get-go, our simplicity-loving clients, a couple with their three dogs, requested a compact house with a sunroom where everyone could come together. However, the land presented a certain challenge - it is located in a chaotic urban zone with limited natural light. As a result, we started looking into different ways to handle natural light as well as to create an open space in this particular context. In addition, during this process, we realized that it would be important to design a dwelling place with a sense of psychological distance from its surroundings.
First of all, we created an open space, hereinafter referred to as the Solarium, with an atrium in the centre of the building and ensured the spaciousness of the floor area by adding compact rooms, studios, bathrooms and storage on the sides of the building.
A translucent material called twin-wall polycarbonate was used on the top of the large windows facing the atrium to diffuse soft light and minimize the impact of the chaotic surroundings Additionally, we crafted other openings in the walls and ceilings that fully or partially open up to the sky, creating various qualities of light. The installation of polycarbonate panels on the window frames prevents heat loss, enhances insulation, and provides resistance against Hokkaido’s cold winters.
To maximize space, we have kept each room to a minimum size and the ceiling and door heights intentionally low. Consequently, the private rooms serve as tranquil and comforting spaces, while on the other hand, the Solarium, with its open double-like ceiling, exudes an even greater sense of openness and expansiveness. Apart from clear horizontal and vertical lines, there are invisible diagonal lines connecting spaces and giving rise to a seamless flow.
In this way, the rooms are designed to enhance the mutual quality of each other’s space, creating a sense of continuity that is more like a unified one-room living unit than a simple collection of rooms. Furthermore, this quality offers comfort and privacy while allowing a subtle awareness of the family’s presence in the house.
The Solarium is the heart of the house - it is where everything comes together, from the entrance to the dining room, living room, and staircase. Through careful anticipation of various functions while at the same time extending their flexibility, we have designed a space with a continuous happenstance. A space where people can live, work and daydream.
