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Architects: 1110 Office for Architecture
- Area: 101 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Kenta Hasegawa
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Manufacturers: NEW LIGHT POTTERY, toolbox
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Lead Architect: Hiroto Kawaguchi
Text description provided by the architects. Situated on the outskirts of Ueda in Nagano prefecture, this traditional wooden house was bought by the clients as a weekend house as well as a future retirement house. At first, the existing building was of no interest as the clients wanted to dismantle it and build a new house on the plot. However, after a first site visit, we began questioning this strategy as we discovered an interesting dwelling that was displaying a well-made traditional craftsmanship.
In the process of dismantling the walls, we discovered that the wooden structure was not only of rare beauty and artisanship but that they were marked by their date and that before long it would be their 100th anniversary. This discovery made up our minds and we decided to restore, re-visit, update and protect rather than destroy, to give a historical landmark to this ever-changing context.
By carefully understanding the needed surface for the client's program, we verified the existing structure and restored it when needed while decreasing the footprint of the overall dwelling. Thanks to the knowledge of the local shrine carpenters we drew new plans that were maximizing the amount of openings without the need for too many load-bearing walls.
The house turns around a central wall where shelves and stairs are placed. That central focal point is not only of structural importance as it holds the structural reinforcements but also stresses the north/south partition of the overall layout. From that central point, we arranged the study on the north side looking up at a beautiful field in the foreground and at chains of mountains in the background. The south side spaces house the living room and dining room and open up to a wooden deck and peaceful adjacent garden. The attic space on the second floor was also rethought in order to not only house three bedrooms but also bring light to the whole house with a new atrium space. The ceilings of the ground floor's study are made of acrylic panels so as to create a continuum of reflecting lights between the garden and the second-floor atrium.
Overall, the result is a flexible structure that maximizes openings so as to create large perspectives as well as creating very bright spaces. This structure enables the clients to transform their house into an exhibition space when needed, as well as a guesthouse when they are not around.
With this project, we aimed to create an example of a simple and uncostly refurbishment, in order to protect rather than destroy, so the house can hopefully live another 100 years. The house has won the 2022 Nagano Prefecture's Architectural Award in the preservation category as well as the 2023 prize of excellence of the Japanese Association House Renovation.
