Wood Old House / Tadashi Yoshimura Architects

Architects: Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
Location: Gose-city, Nara, Japan
Structural Engineers: Kazuhiro Yamaguchi
General Contractor: Nakayama Komuten
Site area: 634 sq m
Total floor area: 139 sqm
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: Hitoshi Kawamoto

This project is the renovation of a traditional wooden town house in Nara, Japan, built about 200 years ago, for a young couple and their children.

This old house consists of several small buildings, and there are several spot gardens, and passage gardens between buildings.

However, taking no thought of interaction between buildings and gardens, repairs have been carried out on numerous occasions, and the interior has also been redecorated with new materials. Except for the main structure and façade, the original model can no longer be seen.

‘Void space’ carved out the old house, taking out new materials. Void space means the new large space turned into a porch by opening all sliding window panels, and the new small earthen floor space, connected existing spot gardens and passage gardens, facilitated lighting and ventilation. Making the new space, we reuse materials from old house, to the extent possible.

By inserting this void space, it connects the new with the old, and a revival is achieved through a skilful fusion between buildings and gardens.

We reuse structural members and old mud wall from old house as structural reinforcements and heat storage materials.

And new outside materials are planned to be able to reuse in the future, binding with wedge.