Introducing A Hobby-Filled Residence Featuring a Traditional Irori Hearth, a custom-built home example by Archiplace, a Architect / Design office in 502 Palm House Hatsudai, 1-20-2 Honmachi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
The fence along the roadside is angled to allow sunlight and breezes to easily reach the vegetable garden area.
When viewed from the front and the gate on the right, the angled fence effectively obstructs direct lines of sight.
The first-floor exterior walls are clad with cedar boards, which are also applied to the steel entrance door to integrate it seamlessly with the facade.
There is no significant step from the road to the entrance, allowing for a smooth and accessible approach.
The entrance floor is paved with Towada stone, while the upper step area features hinoki cypress flooring with a section of tatami mats.
A handwashing corner at the entrance includes a wooden towel rack handcrafted by the homeowners.
The dining area boasts a soaring ceiling approximately 5 meters high, connecting seamlessly to the kitchen and the elevated tatami room.
The raised tatami room serves as a guest chamber and can be enclosed with four sliding fusuma panels.
The homeowners enjoy grilling freshly caught fish and vegetables from their garden around the irori hearth with close friends.
Custom-selected hinoki cypress rustic pillar, red cedar transom lintel (otoshigake), solid hinoki flooring, and a rod-framed ceiling featuring black bamboo were carefully chosen with the owners.
Snow-view shoji screens at eye level and vertical latticework along the roadside safeguard interior privacy.
A skylight in the ceiling floods the interior with natural light throughout the day.
The bespoke kitchen, crafted by YAJIMA, reflects the homeowners’ meticulous attention to detail.
Opening the shoji screens on the front façade reveals a lush green vista that seemingly leaps over the busy street.
The corridor on the second floor overlooks the dining area’s lofty atrium.
From the interior window of the hobby room, expansive views extend to the horizon, complemented by light from the overhead skylight.
A large window in the bathroom allows occupants to bathe while basking in natural sunlight.
The balcony doubles as a laundry drying area, with a waist-high wall shielding the bathroom from external views.