House I in Utsukushigaoka Nishi｜Takayoshi Nakamura Architects & Associates

A home for Sachiyo Iha, an art director, designer, and artist, her family, and their two cats. Ms. Iha also designed the website for Takayoshi Nakamura Architecture & Design Office. Located in a suburban area where natural surroundings remain, the house makes a striking impression with its fresh, refined white exterior.

Built on a terraced, subdivided site, the house offers views of a low hill and the sky beyond the roofs of the houses to the south from the second-floor living-dining-kitchen area. Designed to accommodate home parties, the LDK was given generous space and ceiling height. Centered around a staircase positioned in the middle of the house, it forms a bright and open living space. The family can immediately tell when someone has come home or guests have arrived, and they can greet them without having to go downstairs.

An island kitchen is positioned on the opposite side of the staircase, creating a cohesive space in which the host can participate in the party while preparing food and drinks. In everyday life, the kitchen also allows the family to enjoy conversations with the children, television programs, films, and music while cooking. A pantry is placed adjacent to the kitchen, making it easy for guests helping with the party to find what they need while keeping everything neatly organized. The dining area connects to the deck, allowing meals to be enjoyed outdoors when the weather is pleasant.

A compact kitchen is provided in the primary bedroom on the first floor in preparation for the possibility of living together with the parents in the future. At that point, the Japanese-style room on the second floor, which will initially be used as an extension of the living room and as a guest room, is planned to serve as the primary bedroom. The children's rooms can also be converted into an atelier or an SOHO space for a design office once the children have moved out, or used as the primary bedroom. In this way, the house was planned to respond flexibly to future changes in the family.

The client has loved architecture since her days as an art student, and had dreamed of commissioning an architect to design her own home. Although she has connections with many architects in both her professional and private life, the opportunity to design this house came about through a personal connection. Because we already knew one another, we took particular care to ensure that her personality would be reflected in the building.

Although the budget was limited, we devised various ways to realize as many of her wishes and dreams as possible. These included placing separate orders directly with specialist contractors with whom she had personal connections, including Hinoki Kogei for the furniture, as well as contractors for the diatomaceous earth plaster walls and landscaping. Taking the opportunity to move into a detached house, the family also welcomed a new member—their cat—and now enjoys a new life in their home, inviting friends and professional associates over on weekends. The house has been certified as a Long-Term Quality Housing.

Building Overview

Structure: Two-story timber construction
Total floor area: 95.84 m² (28.99 tsubo)
Site area: 128.29 m² (38.80 tsubo)

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