Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, KitchenConcrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Countertop, Chair, Sink, WindowsConcrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior Photography, GardenConcrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior PhotographyConcrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - More Images+ 31

  • Architect In Charge: IKAWAYA Architects
  • Design Team: Atsushi Ikawa, Ryosuke Nambara
  • Structural Engineer: yAt Structural Design Office
  • Mechanical Engineers: Zo Consulting Engineers
  • Construction: EIKO CONSTRUCTION
  • Garden Design And Construction: SOLSO
  • Country: Japan
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Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Table, Windows, Chair
© Akinobu Kawabe

Text description provided by the architects. Apunctuated “hole” becomes a garden.
House and atelier with gardens that brings light and air inside.

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Table, Chair, Windows
© Akinobu Kawabe
Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Image 32 of 36
Second Floor Plan
Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Countertop, Chair, Sink, Windows
© Akinobu Kawabe
Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Windows
© Akinobu Kawabe

The project site is a narrow strip with 9m width facing the street and 26m deep. There we first established a “shell” of maximum volume within the height limitations and setback guidelines. Then we punctuated “holes” to desirable places of the “shell” volume where it was agreed suitable to incorporate natural light and wind.

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Glass, Handrail
© Akinobu Kawabe

At the deep southernmost part of the site, there is a 7m tall oak tree as the house’s symbol tree. We have planted the tree in prior to the foundation work since it would be impossible to reach the deepest area of the site after the structure of the house is erected. We could say that the oak tree was watching over the house since the start the construction.

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior Photography, Handrail
© Akinobu Kawabe
Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Image 36 of 36
Section
Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior Photography, Glass, Concrete, Garden
© Akinobu Kawabe

Inside the “hole”, we created garden with plants that relates to its adjacent room; a “sunken garden” at the basement, an “acorn garden” on the ground floor and “dining garden” on the second floor. By “breaking” the top of the shell, we placed a “sky garden” at the rooftop. All the dispersed gardens are linked with an exterior stairway.

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior Photography, Garden
© Akinobu Kawabe

The “shell” incorporates the exterior insulation method. Thus, the heat capacity of the concrete wall enables a moderate change in interior temperature. Also, by exposing both exterior and interior concrete walls, it forms a sense of continuity throughout the house. The box culvert structure system was applied to maintain such sense of continuity and eliminates partition walls perpendicular to the tunnel space. In the end, a “strong” but also “embracing” concrete structure was achieved

Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects - Exterior Photography
© Akinobu Kawabe

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About this office
Cite: "Concrete Shell House / IKAWAYA Architects" 13 Jan 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/954818/concrete-shell-house-ikawaya-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

© Akinobu Kawabe

东京混凝土‘外壳’住宅 / IKAWAYA Architects

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