Sun and Wind｜Mitsuhiro Kojima Architects
This residence is a two-family home situated in a region dominated by expansive rural landscapes. The clients’ primary requests were a house that commands panoramic views of the southern countryside and remains comfortably warm during the winter months.
To the south of the site lies a generous garden, beyond which the family-owned farmland stretches deeply into the distance. On the northern side, across the road, there is a neighboring property with a lush, spacious garden. The east and west boundaries are marked by generously sized plots hosting detached houses, creating a site with ample open space and a relaxed setting. The design intent was to fully embrace and benefit from this enviable environment.
The spatial arrangement features rooms aligned longitudinally from east to west to maximize exposure to scenic views and winter sunlight, while windows on the north and south façades facilitate natural cross-ventilation. Floor-to-ceiling glazing on the southern elevations of both floors provides panoramic vistas of the rural landscape. On the northern side, the second-floor windows frame the neighboring garden as a borrowed landscape, while the first floor, closer to the road, features low walls that prevent direct visibility into the interior, allowing fresh breezes and natural light to flow freely into a courtyard-like space.
The two-family relationship is articulated by situating the parental generation on the first floor and the younger generation on the second. The entryway and shoe storage are shared, while sanitary facilities are independently provided for each household. This arrangement balances communal interaction at the entrance with functional separation.
Each floor includes a terrace running parallel to the interior spaces. On the first floor, a wooden deck level with the interior floor extends outward, promoting easy access and a sense of spatial continuity with the outdoors. The second-floor terrace is designed as a secure, open-air space where dogs can roam freely without risk of falling. Part of this terrace is cleverly sheltered from rain, shielded from external views, and strategically ventilated to create an ideal laundry drying area—remarkably efficient in accelerating drying times.
Given the narrow width of the road on the northern boundary, the building is set back to alleviate any sense of confinement and reduce noise intrusion from passing vehicles. Rather than a conventional hedge, the boundary is defined by a thoughtfully landscaped greenbelt resembling an open plaza, enhancing neighborhood safety while providing verdant lawns and trees to the community.
A defined approach connects the road to the main entrance, with additional vehicular access extended to the southern garden for maintenance purposes. This allows for sheltered unloading of goods even during inclement weather.
The resulting home benefits from abundant sunlight and natural ventilation, offering its occupants an environment where the interior spaces merge seamlessly with the gently evolving rural panorama. Visiting this house evokes a unique sensation of time slowing down, fostering a profound sense of tranquility and enrichment.
