Support 
on the 
-- 
House of Vision / FORM | Kouichi Kimura
Architects: FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects
Location: Shiga, Japan
Client: Private
Construction Year: 2008
Site Area: 227,97 sqm
Constructed Area: 181,74 sqm
Photographs: The copyright of all images belongs to Takumi Ota
The lot is located at the foot of a hill where the fields and houses are mixed together.
The client’s desire was “to live while feeling nature without being bothered by looks from the neighbors”. To make the best use of the lot, the planning was designed to enclose the lot with the trench extended beyond the building, and to provide an interior courtyard as the center.
The enclosed space clips images from the surrounding landscapes, creating a comfortable outdoor living room that is not exposed to the outside world. The position of each opening is carefully designed in consideration of “what to take in and what to conceal”. Specifically the position and form of the opening of the living/dining room with kitchen on the second floor is most effective in concert with the interior.
In this house, the most important theme is “how to close/open” in the open environment.
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- © Takumi Ota
-
- ground floor plan
-
- first floor plan
Related articles:
12 comments »
“In this house, the most important theme is “how to close/open” in the open environment.”
I think it closes, more than opens…..
Elegant looking but it feels very depressing and very detached from nature. I cant imagine that the client is happy given that his request was to “live while feeling nature”.
Maybe I am missing something since it is very difficult to read the plans and what is room and what is courtyard
I agree: the plans are *very* difficult to read.
There are some aspects of this project I find enchanting (the night time picture of the courtyard, or the way the cozily-lit chamber opens up to the outdoor space), but I can easily imagine that in the development of this project, some things received more attention than others.
In the language of outdoor spaces, nothing creates a better sense of order and balance than a traditional courtyard. I think the one here attempts that same harmony, but I don’t know if its the composition of forms, material choice, or quality of light that’s making that outdoor space seem depressing.
This house is the opposite of connecting to nature. It seems almost every room is completely enclosed with tiny windows barely revealing a glimpse of the surroundings. The exterior is also incredible dark and foreboding making it appear to be a prison or a some sort of utility building rather than a residence. I can’t imagine the clients after giving that brief are happy with the outcome.
Good design but I agree that there is a disconnect with the surroundings. Better use of windows could’ve helped the design.
This is a project that I looked at a while ago on Mr. Kimura’s website and would relish the opportunity to visit in person.
My thoughts really run in the opposite direction of most of the commentary here. This house fits squarely within the traditions of this architectural typology in Japan while introducing some great ideas from western architecture. Likewise, the use of color is extremely correct for the context. I am going to guess that Japanese ideas of connecting to nature and occidental thought on the same topic are radically different things.
One of the many things that I enjoy about Mr. Kimura’s work are the frequent allusions to Carlo Scarpa. The seating area is such a wonderful spatial composition that plays up the idea of adjacency perfectly. The dematerializing wall and continuation of the ceiling line is in poetic juxtaposition to the interruption of the corridor. This is just enough to be defining, creating respect for the space without the need for screens or walls.
Equally terrific is Mr. Ota’s photography. To me this is what architectural photography (in the tradition of Marvin Rand) is all about.
It is very doubtful to me that any of Mr. Kimura’s clients are unhappy with his work.
Terry Glenn Phipps
I absolutely love Kouichi Kimura’s work. Sensible, clean, practical spaces. Beautiful.
Links to this article »