Project: Scape House
Architects: FORM – Kouichi Kimura Architects
Location: Shiga, Japan
Area: 1,474 sq ft
Photographs by: Yoshihiro Asada, courtesy of FORM – Kouichi Kimura Architects
Located in the dense suburbia of Shiga, Japan, the local studio FORM – Kouichi Kimura Architects have utilized an empty lot to join a series of quadrilateral volumes with strategically placed openings.
The client requested that his new house will be a house which would feel very open and it will offer views of the nearby lake while at the same time maintaining privacy from the neighbors.
Having many projecting and overlapping forms, the resulting voids share large openings that remain partially hidden from exterior views while the concrete that molds the foundation and parking pads continues through the interior being covered in textured natural plaster that also serves as interactive piece from which particular views are framed. This helps to give each room a unique character.
From the architects: “The house is located in the tiered-developed residential area on a hill. From the site, the beautiful scenery of the lake can be viewed.
The customer requested that the view be fully utilized and that the space be opened while not being bothered by eyes of neighborhood.
In this project, versatile spaces that incorporate light and scenery were intended by the windows in order to bring out the best in this house.
Scenery viewed through a window is greatly affected by the size or position of the window.
It is therefore essential to consider what should be viewed or not in the scenery framed by the window, instead of being stereotyped to take in the large area of the scenery by providing the largely-opening window.
The windows as framings produce comfortable spaces where you can enjoy light and scenery without being annoyed by eyes of neighborhood.
The spaces incorporate a table, bench, book shelf, niche, and other furniture items so that you can utilize there to view outside, read books, eat meals, etc., which brings out characteristics of each space and provides its versatility.
The space is composed of mortar with a feel of texture, highlighting its presence. At the same time, it provides openness created by the clear and continuous sightline.
In addition, the space also serves as an indispensable element that reflects visual changes of light and scenery developed while moving around the room.
The dynamic configuration involving the box-shape volume with rhythmical layout of the windows produces beautiful life scenes where light and scenery are taken in while the eyes of neighborhood are blocked.”
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