Kitakamakura house Sociality of the house /open to local community.
The house is located on the mountain in Kitakamakura old and very quiet residential area. In this neighborhood, you can find many windows with closed curtains and shutters, it almost looks like silent gesture of residents, refuse to socialize with local community. These “closed” houses make the area isolated and less lively. So I search the long term way to activate and brighten the local community by building new house. As for detail, I put the space on the outer side for daily activity such as eating, being relaxed, reading and working. We call the external space as “place for everyone”.
This space is structured as following lines of people flow from first floor to the second. In contrast to the outer space, there is “place for oneself” at inner side, such as bedroom, toilet and bathroom. At most inner side you can walk into “light court”. The small garden ventilate, lighten “place for oneself” and also connect “oneself” with “everyone” places. This connection bring spaciousness and comfortableness to the house. “place for everyone”, “place for oneself” or “light court” stretch flatly each and organize nest shape all together. “place for everyone” is buffer zone to outdoor, you can see it from the out what the residents are doing at the moment, studying, working or walking, those movements are open to local community.
The “open’d” movements itself is facade of this house and it can slowly build a relationship between the architecture and the community. Seeing and finding As explained already the architecture consists of flat, nest shaped structure and cross sectional composition with sloped pavilion roof. Passengers can see this flat and nest shaped architecture through “place for everyone”. Even if they are not familiar with the term ‘nest-shaped’, they can still “find” that there are white boxes in the building. The wooden house is constructed by conventional method basis. Post and beam are exposed. Exterior wall is set back 105mm from the structural core.
Separating the structure and the exterior wall make “finding” of the architecture more clear and easier beyond superficial form. The sequence of “place for everyone” surrounding the house helps “finding” as well. As walking into the house and just looking around, you can immediately “find” the structure of this building even if you are sublime ignorance at architecture. “Finding” is mother of curiosity, surprise and joy, that give satisfaction and freshness to people both living and visiting at the house. The architecture of this small house is for a four person family. In consideration of budget the total floor area is 100 square meters, and the owner didn’t request far more than general orders.
Even if the program of house is general, the building still can be unique space which connect residents with local community, that achieved by such intensive architecture as reconsidering of layout, structure or revised windows. This connection is fruitful relationship both for residents and community. Unlike from other general residence which have bedroom placed to outer side, the house will keep the relationship with community through “place for everyone”, activate and brighten the neighborhood after generation to generation. As facing local community sincerely, the architecture can be honest and polite.
Team:
Structure: TS structural design
Lighting: Sugio Lighting Office
Construction: SETOKENSETSU
Material Used:
1. Facade cladding: Galvalume steel plate, SF BIRECT/SFI1-285,IG KOGYO
2. Flooring: Wood, BIRCH ER, TOKYO KOEI
3. Windows: Aluminum sash, samos-L, LIXIL
4. Roofing: Galvalume steel plate
5. Interior lighting: Line LED,ERK9864S&FAD913 3500K, ENDO LIGHTING CORP
6. Wallpaper: LW2234, Lilycolor
