Between / Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates

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Architecture: Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates
Location: Takarazuka-City, Hyogo, Japan
Site Area: 121.10 sqm
Built Area: 62.24 sqm
Total Floor Area: 128.65 sqm
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates

This is a two-family home with a ‘garden’. The Garden is on the second floor, that is, we sandwiched the garden in between the two-family residence space. The site area is too small to put a garden on the ground beside the building. So we located a garden between the podium made of RC and the wooden section floating over it. The ground floor is for the parents, and the wooden third floor is for their children and grandchildren. There is a dining kitchen on the same level as the garden, however it is like a part of the garden. So the floor is like a ‘doma ‘( a Japanese traditional earthen floor).

© Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates
second floor plan

With the sifting of the each plans between the podium and the floating section, a big asymmetry balcony called a ‘garden’ appears around the 2nd floor. The half openness garden, surrounded by a plastic net like a pitching screen, is usually for baseball practice by grandchildren, sometimes for a lunch space as if we are under a big tree. And then flower pots are put on the peripheral area to catch the rain.

© Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates

We intended that people would feel virtual volume of the garden, although in fact it is a void, with white wall, floor and ceiling. The garden is a spacious yard, which commands an extensive perspective of Osaka bay area.

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
Cite: "Between / Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates" 19 May 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 22 May 2013. <http://www.archdaily.com/60380>

19 comments

  6. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    at first, I thought, that this house is absolutely crazy, nonsense. but when I studied it closely, it became more logical and rational. interesting Idea of this house. and very simply.

    only one thing, that depress: it is not nice building. box on the box. “economy class”?

    the Children’s Courtyard is realy good thing in this building (I think, that in this district there are no places where children could play..). anything else – household rationality.

    good work.

    Reply
    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      yes, I agree with You.

      but I miss here the aesthetics of exteriors, some kind of Japan quality of aesthetics. they (japanies) are very attentive to various details (Live and Architecture too).

      this house is complete and the Idea of this house is really Good; but something miss here in the exterior, some kind of “splendor”/smartness, perfection of exterior decoration.

      with big respect to Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates Architects.

      Reply
  10. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    I agree with nind, the cantilever looks fantastic, i just wish they would lose the netting to express it more.

    Reply
  13. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    この住宅いいね。ネットがなければもっといいけど、法律で引っかかるんだろうな。http://www.archdaily.com/60380/between-katsuhiro-miyamoto-associates/

    Reply
  15. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Great building… absolutely great! Architecture is not only in the look of thing, but also in their essence! I Just love it!

    Reply
  16. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Kind of intriguing by its perverseness – I guess the regular approach to wanting a garden but having insufficient land would just be a roof garden? I can see the attraction though of having the garden as a point of mediation between generations in the middle.

    Reply

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