Doma Living｜Custom-built homes by architecture firms5Picks｜A Generous Doma at the Center of Daily Life

“Doma living,” which integrates the doma with the living room, is one approach to creating a rich spatial composition that reinterprets the wisdom of traditional Japanese dwellings for contemporary life. A generous doma directly connected to the outdoors accommodates a variety of everyday scenes: a work area where one can spread out belongings without removing shoes, storage for outdoor equipment and bicycles, and a third‑place–like zone for casually receiving guests. The selection of finish materials such as mortar or stone, the detailing of level changes and boundaries with the living area, and the strategies for daylighting and ventilation all strongly affect the usability and comfort of the doma. Design firms consider the doma’s size and location in relation to the client’s lifestyle, proposing homes that create a generous open margin at the heart of daily living.

A 128-year-old kura attached to a kominka built in 1897 (Meiji 30) was renovated into a comfortable residence. Damaged beams and a leaning foundation were reinforced, and the heavy, difficult-to-operate entrance joinery was repaired and reused. By improving insulation and airtightness, the interior remains cool in summer and warm in winter. Existing floorboards were repurposed for kitchen surfaces, stairs, and counters, while some wall and ceiling finishes were executed by the residents themselves, retaining the building's memory and character.

The site is situated on the mountainside alongside a clear stream flowing from Mount Takao, configured as a parcel extended from the road that runs along the river. Access to the site requires ascending approximately 30 steps; the position offers views of the Takao mountain range to the south and a shrine and bamboo grove to the north. The building plan is kinked in an elbow-shaped configuration to respond to the regulated area on the north side: the living room is located at the plan’s centroid, from which the dining area, kitchen, and private rooms are arranged. The section adopts a pitched roof aligned with the southward slope; spaces are articulated by a continuous ceiling formed by LVL (laminated veneer lumber) rafters and by changes in floor levels, creating a comfortable domestic environment. Because the approach ascends from below, resulting in views that look up at the house, particular attention was paid to the termination and soffit detailing of the eaves.