Introducing COCHE — Residence with an Integrated Garage for the Beloved Vehicle, a custom-built home example by YIA Ishiue Yoshihiro Architectural Design Office, a Architect / Design office in 1572 Amagawataki-cho, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

This residence is located in a quiet residential district of Naruto City in Tokushima Prefecture. A large stadium is nearby, and the site offered the attractive prospect of viewing fireworks in summer.

The clean rectangular site fronts a 6.0 m wide road to the south, and, perhaps because it functions as a cut-through, vehicles pass by with some regularity. The client requested a built-in garage capable of accommodating both a car and bicycles; organizing the house around the garage arguably became the project’s central theme.

During meetings the client expressed a desire to avoid a simple, box-like exterior. In response, volumes of differing heights were arranged front to back along the south elevation, and the composition was simplified into a black exterior skin and white interior surfaces. This approach also mitigates the sense of dominance from the street. Fireworks can be viewed from the garage roof.

Because the garage carries a greater programmatic weight relative to the residential areas and is therefore necessarily laid out toward the street, an interior courtyard was introduced to ensure a bright, private living environment. The flat sequence of spaces—street → garage → courtyard → living room → bedroom—creates a comfortable spatial relationship.

Where the volume projects slightly when viewed from the street, a tatami alcove and a loft are provided—spaces intended for solitary repose. I considered this pocket of residual space necessary for a house of modest size. The design also intentionally allows warm light and atmosphere from the residence to spill out onto the street. I hope it will act like a beacon, guiding this neighborhood toward a warmer streetscape. Principal use: Residence
Location: Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture
Structure: Timber-framed, two-story
Site area: 237.61 m²
Total floor area: 133.79 m²
Construction: Fuji Zokei Co., Ltd.
Structural design: Kataoka Structural
Furniture: YIA original design