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Architects: Studio Aula
- Year: 2014
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Photographs:Ippei Shinzawa
Text description provided by the architects. On the site are cherry blossom trees, planted in the area by the hands of pioneers after the World War II. Cherry blossom trees were said to house the spirit of farmlands and have long been regarded as sacred. Of the four distinctive seasons in the area, the blooming cherry blossoms bring a touch of spring, serving as a sign for the farmers to start on the fields.
Our client, residing in the central Tokyo for work, wishes to live in a slow and comfortable time frame surrounded by the cherry blossoms, the scenery of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the west, and Mt. Yatsugatake in the north.
We knew what we needed to do: keep the roots and branches of the cherry blossom trees of the premise in good condition, take in the best view of the mountains that can be easily blocked by an inch of movement, and pay extra attention to the direction of taking in the wind and sunlight coming from the south. The premise is of a perfect scenic beauty, except for the look of a neighbor’s house behind the row of cherry blossoms in the south.
Considering these aspects, we designed a bungalow-style home that naturally fits on the long premise in the east-west direction. Within it, we created a few spots where the scenery visually breaks into the house in a sequence.
Black-painted paulownia wood is used for the long and flat floor; the walls and ceilings are wattle and daub. These materials have added shadows to a quiet space as if to represent a deep story while the functional openings and three decks placed along are there to provide visual effects. This bungalow-style weekend home appreciates a touch of every season and its different scenery in a full of green, with abundance of pale pink cherry blossoms in spring to bring the visual and sensual grace to life.
