A single-story reinforced concrete home in Matsumoto, Okinawa City.
Nestled on a lot seven meters below the street frontage, this home required careful consideration on how it looked from slightly above, due to the higher ground level when approaching the building. Not only that, the final sewage drainpipe was located 1.5 meters above the ground, requiring the floor of the bath and toilet to stand higher than the rest of the rooms. On another note, the client asked for this dwelling to convey a feeling of departure from the ordinary, such as that of a resort hotel. We proceeded with the design task keeping these conditions and requests in mind while respecting the Okinawan climate and culture.
Our solution was to build two structures—one designated for rooms needing plumbing, and the other for living spaces—and then create a walkway/courtyard in between and attach a garage. Over the structure with plumbing we placed a V shaped roof with one protruding side, and over the living quarters a low sloping roof that wraps around in a U shape. By coordinating the appearance of the roof and its functionality, we managed to block a fair amount of visibility of the interior from the street level. We also solved the difficulties in sewage flow by setting the floor of each section at a different height. As for the approach, one descends the slope from the street and arrives at the abode after circling halfway around the house. As one enters through the front door one comes upon a spacious inner courtyard wrapped in a concrete enclosure. This courtyard connects each of the living quarters at just the right distance.
With no entrance way resembling a conventional Japanese genkan* front door, one takes off one’s shoes only before entering each of the interior rooms. In fact, the very concept of a genkan entrance never existed in traditional Okinawan architecture. Instead, open corridors lining the outside of the house called an amahaji acted as the entry way to the interior. For this home, we reshaped the amahaji in an inward U shape—maintaining the function as an opening while controlling its visibility from the street and nearby buildings. We placed the structure with plumbing next to the living areas with a narrow walkway/ garden in between. The structure also functions as a route to the garage and outside. (*genkan: a traditional Japanese entrance space that exists in most if not all homes across Japan, where one takes off one’s shoes upon entry)
What does it mean for a building to be Okinawan-esque?
After thorough consideration, we concluded that it is to be open to the elements, without being too open, nor too closed, and that by keeping this Goldilocks-like balance with nature, we are left with an architectural design that is adequately suited to both accepting the abundance that Okinawa has to offer and withstanding its severe and unforgiving conditions when they inevitably occur. As the home gradually came into being, it was as if she was answering all our undefined notions of what the space ought to be.
