Text description provided by the architects. This house was planned in the deepest part of a site, which is divided into three parts. Because it was expected that buildings would soon be constructed to the east and west of the site, I designed the house to face the directions north and south providing a light breeze and unobstructed views.
The residents of the house include the husband, wife, their two little girls, two dogs, and three cats. The family has many personal things, and when I saw the overflowing condition of their things, I thought it would be good to design in a way that makes tidying up easy rather than keeping things in storage.
The long sides of the house, facing the east and west, are closed to the outside. The short sides, facing north and south, are open by making the minimum structural narrow walls of 600 mm continue at both ends. I call a stracture wall area by this narrow wall "FUTOKORO" (FUTOKORO means recess space among something in Japanese). This "FUTOKORO" changes that role variously, becoming furniture, such as storage, a working table, and a desk, or becoming a pet's room or extension of the room, closing with a curtain or left open.
The whole house is connected by an excursion line of flow which is course by stairs and a wellhole in the center, and by lowering the north side floor of the level+1 in regulation of setback-line. I arranged the gap and the opening to be able to come from stairs and a wellhole. On the south side, the big earthen floor, which served as the entrance, is made in one with a terrace.
The outside environment is drawn inside by being enclosed with a wood lattice. The lattice prevents the escape of pets yet allows sunlight to enter from the outside. This earthen floor unifies the inside and outside by opening a large orificial window.
Text provided by Mizuishi Architects Atelier
