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Architects: Hideo Arao Architects Office
- Area: 54 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Yosuke Ohtake
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Lead Architect: Hideo Arao
Text description provided by the architects. It is a weekend retreat and guesthouse for a couple who share surfing as a hobby. The site is located on the western side of the Tango Peninsula in northern Kyoto Prefecture, a coastal town where you can feel the sound of waves and sea breeze just a short walk from a small hill.
It is also close to the renowned surf spot, Hacchohama, along the Japan Sea. Amidst the ongoing lumber shortage and material price surge, the goal of this project was to create a place not like a typical vacation home but rather a base camp to enjoy the abundant nature, be it the sea or the mountains.
The vision was to explore the possibility of creating something similar in different locations. Unlike the versatile and mass-produced prefab housing, the design aimed to discover a balance between certain universality and distinctive identity, attempting to demonstrate the concept of a second base with its unique character.
The wooden frame structure is erected while minimizing the use of primary structural materials. Concrete blocks, readily available, form the exterior walls (curtain walls) and encircle all four sides. Glass is inserted into the gaps between the blocks and the eaves to create the internal spaces. The outer perimeter of the main structure is designed as a maximum square to consider economic efficiency within the site.
The beams crossing the internal space are oriented at 45 degrees to align with the climbing beams of the square-shaped roof, following the positioning of the utility core.
The formation of the utility core led to a distorted space between the outer concrete blocks, which winds around the core while accommodating the site's level differences by setting various floor levels. Horizontal continuous windows extending in all directions also match the height derived from the specifications of the blocks, achieving a rhythmic proportion. Within the compact square plan, a spacious and unobstructed area flows sequentially, not dominated by the structural framework.
