Project: House Nara-zaka
Architects: Yoshiaki Yamashita Architect & Associates
Location: Nara, Japan
Area: 1,496 sf
Photographs by: Eiji Tomita
Introducing House Nara-zaka, a stunning residence nestled in the picturesque city of Nara, Japan. Designed by Yoshiaki Yamashita Architect & Associates, this two-story home with a basement offers an ideal sanctuary for a couple seeking a tranquil retreat. Situated on a sloping hill near the revered Todaiji Temple, the house embraces its elevated position to provide captivating views of the surroundings.
With a harmonious blend of reinforced concrete and steel frame structures, House Nara-zaka boasts a thoughtfully designed layout. The basement serves as a creative space for the husband’s oil painting hobby, while the first floor accommodates the wife’s bedroom and utility room. Ascending to the second floor reveals the heart of the home, featuring a well-appointed kitchen, inviting dining area, comfortable living room, and a refreshing bathroom. From this level, residents can enjoy breathtaking views and access a charming roof terrace.
The site is located near the Todaiji Temple in Nara. The location is on the hill with great view. It is situated on the slopes. Site area：161sqm) This is the home for couples without children.
This house is a two-story with a basement. The structure of underground is RC, and the structure of ground floor is a steel frame. The underground space is the area for the husband to enjoy the hobby of oil painting. On the first floor there is a bedroom and utility room of his wife. The second floor have kitchen, dining, living room and bathroom. The view from the second floor also is a great. And more there is also a roof terrace with a view. White walls facade is the result of considering the privacy. But we have floated lightly roof so as not to be too closed.
We have also considered the structure so as not to impair the view. So we provided a thin pillar on the great view side and we provided a frame to withstand the earthquakes on the opposite side with a panoramic view. Dimensions of the pillars of the iron in the corner of the living room is just 75mm × 75mm.
We have also considered environment. The crushed stone under the floor of the basement warmed by the midnight power, it warms the building frame without using electric power of the daytime. The dry area as moisture protection of underground generates the cool air in the summer. We considered to send this cold air to the second floor by a simple fan in order to mitigate the heat of the roof directly under. And we provided a rainwater pit so that it can be used in kitchen gardens.
They were retired from work at the same time as the completion of this house. We hope that they will be enjoyed the rest of the life in this house.
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