This is a house for a couple living in a suburban residential area. Although the couple's living was a main space, they also needed a spacious interior capable of accommodating a large number of guests, as the clients often invite visitors related to their work or hobbies. An open and spacious garden was also desired to accommodate parties and other events.
The site is surrounded by houses and apartments, and the front road has a significant amount of traffic. As this house is located in a typical suburban residential area, the goal was to design a building that could improve the surrounding environment and landscape while maintaining privacy within the house
A large, vessel-shaped Japanese-tile roof was placed on the perimeter wall with a slightly distorted circular floor plan. The roof blocks the view from the surroundings while bringing the sky into the interior. Since the site is the large enough, a green garden is provided on the outer edge of the perimeter wall. The openings in the perimeter wall are minimal, consisting of high sidelights and ventilation windows, while the interior plaster walls gently curve to serve as a backdrop for paintings.
On the courtyard side, there are various large openings that allow sufficient wind, light, and greenery to enter the interior. Although the building appears enclosed from the outside, the interior space is bright and open.
On the side facing the front road, the garage and private entrance have lower ceilings, while the living room and dining room, where people gather, have larger and higher ceilings. Through these methods, diverse spaces with variously sized courtyards and differences in ceiling height have been created within the contiguous space under the large roof.
The design aimed for an open building that could enjoy a rich natural environment even within a residential area and serve not only as a private place but also as a gallery or party venue. The curved Japanese-tile roof frames the sky, collects rainwater, and reflects the sun light softly. Sitting on the courtyard bench and looking up at the sky, we can feel as if we have become a part of nature, integrated with the sky.
