ATAMI taught us to seek the hidden potential within the historic and cultural fabric of a building, embrace it, and carry it forward into a new chapter of its life. The house presented itself as a traditional Japanese structure, with multiple rooms divided by shoji doors, low ceilings, and tatami floors.
While inspecting for possible roof leaks, we uncovered a beautiful wooden frame with aged natural beams. We immediately recognized this as the building's hidden soul—a place where Japanese craftsmanship truly excelled, yet had remained unseen for decades.
From that moment, we began to understand the house as a kind of time machine—a space where the new and functional could coexist with the old and cultural. Our goal became to create a home true to its historic roots while embracing modern functionality and spatial openness.
We chose to expose the timber structure as a constant reminder throughout the living space — showcasing it like a museum piece while also using it to visually connect the living, dining, and kitchen areas. Further exploring the balance between tradition and modernity, we used an existing floor level difference to create a hori-kotatsu seating area, offering serene views of the sea.
The result is a carefully balanced mix of tradition and modernity—two elements we believe must coexist. The former grounds us in culture, which continues to shape our daily lives, while the latter reflects our evolving mindset and direction as a society.
