House OTF｜Far East Design Lab.
-Episode
This residence is designed for a couple and their three daughters. The family, previously living in a convenient high-rise condominium near the station, had established a cherished tradition of spending every summer vacation in Okinawa at the wife’s parents’ home, eagerly anticipating swimming in the pool during their holidays. When planning their new home, they strongly desired to extend this beloved summer experience at their residence—creating a house where they could enjoy summer as if staying at a resort on a southern island.
Above all, the couple prioritized making their home a place where summer memories with their children—shared meals, seasonal celebrations, and family gatherings—would accumulate year after year, enriching the time spent together and fostering joyful, meaningful experiences.
-Planning
The design process began with a focus on optimizing the site for the high season—summer—under the radiant sun, aiming to realize a villa-like pool and a comfortable outdoor living space evocative of a tropical resort. Multiple simulations were conducted to determine the optimal arrangement of the building, the 2.25m by 7m pool, and the outdoor living area.
Though the site allowed for a sun-drenched living room centered within the layout, it was ultimately decided that positioning the living space so that it received no direct sunlight for about half the day would be most advantageous. A low-volume mass was placed on the south side of the site, and the largest openings facing the northeast garden were equipped with a two-tiered eave system. This shading strategy creates afternoon shade over the living-dining-kitchen (LDK) area and outdoor living space during the summer, while allowing the low winter sun to penetrate deeply into the LDK.
Additionally, high-side windows installed at the highest point of the LDK can be opened to facilitate natural cross-ventilation, providing a refreshing breeze throughout the home. In the summer afternoons, the pool basks in sunlight, while deep shadows cast by the building provide cool respite on the outdoor daybeds, offering a comfortable environment to relax.
Although the design’s reduced winter sunlight in the living area results in longer reliance on heating, the roof’s shape and expanse enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic power generation. Consequently, the LDK’s floor heating—powered by renewable energy—is sufficiently warm during winter months. Considering recent trends of intense heat and extended summers, the combination of a shaded living room and sunlit pool presents an especially effective strategy for enjoying summer comfortably within the home.
