The house stands o a 330m² plot in Takatsuki, Osaka, with an adjoining English school. Our proposal was to design the residence and shoool together, maintaining the connection between them while keeping the privacy of the residential space apart.

On the back side of the land there is a river, allowing us to feel the presence of nature in the midst of the city. We used this view as the centre of the building, and designed a Doma — a ground space in between the school and the residence.

We installed windows, doors, and lighting of the style that are commonly used in a cafe in that ground space to create an outdoor atmosphere. The ground space is also used as a waiting room, and as it’s loosely connected with the residential area through a small window in the kitchen, people can enjoy conversations between the spaces.

The school is designed with bright colors and a comfortable atmosphere for the customers. The residence has a relaxed tone, using a gray color as its base.

The living room is one step lower than the child’s room, shifting the line of sight to create a sense of individuality in each room while still being the same single space.

By designing the store, residence, and in-between space to loosely connect both spaces, we succeeded in creating a space where the residents can feel each others’ existence while still maintaining their privacy.