“Ma” is a uniquely Japanese terminology and concept that points to both moments and space indistinguishable to each other. This compact two story house for an architect and his family, located in the outskirts of Okayama city, explores the connectivity and the relationship of space and moments both within the house and to the broader context and environment it is located in.
Dwelling has typically been about establishing privacy through walls in a broader context of a public city. The moment of travelling between the private and public emphasizes the separation created by this idiosyncrasy. The aperture of this house is designed so that it not only presents direct visual connection to the neighborhood and the city beyond, but also in a deliberate sequence where the direct views do not initially present themselves, and as indirect light from the side providing moments for the occupants to expand their perceptual connection to the outside upon entering the space.
This connection to the context is reciprocated back to the public, when the same apertures exhibit the partial moments of the family’s private life to the neighborhood, establishing a perceptual and human connectivity to the local neighbors and the community.
The house is designed as one continuous open space that links top and bottom floors, with an undulating ceiling on the second floor that both directs the occupants to the view to the city and also establishes a sense of stability for the family activity space. Subtle gestures separate the various spaces without the use of doors, and this play of separation and connectivity allows the presence of other family members to be felt through voices and sounds. A similar connectivity is established between the house and the garden where the L-shape footprint allows for all rooms to have a connection to the outside.
Simple but timeless materials of wood and stucco are used so that they would age and patina as the family accumulates memories as they live and spend their time in the space.
