History
The House in Kawanishi, known as 川西の住居, was designed by Tato Architects / Yo Shimada. It completed in 2013. The design blurs boundaries between public and private spaces. It draws parallels to forms found in architectural history.
Architecture
The main structure is steel construction on a concrete mat foundation. Interior walls of the upper volume are Lauan Plywood, forming a singular space. The ground floor incorporates a variety of materials. The area above storage creates a landing for stairs. The first floor level adjusts to function as a desk over this landing. This arrangement creates an area that oscillates on the border between floor and desk.
Setting
The property is in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. It addresses a narrow private road on its western side. A public walkway adjoins the site, influencing the design to protect privacy. From the street, ground floor and first floor, plus, interior and exterior all appear to cross over.
The site area measures 120.54 m².
Specifications
The residence offers 107.7 m² of floor area. Building area is 59.86 m². The main structure is steel construction on a concrete mat foundation. Materials include Lauan Plywood, block wall, steel, and concrete.
In print
Featured: Shinkenchiku Jutaku Tokushu (2014), Nikkei Architecture (2014), Archdaily.
