Site Size: 2,333 square feet

Project Size: 1,023 square feet

Program: The architects sought to create a unique two-bedroom residence for a family of four.

Location: The house is located on the corner of a suburban Kyoto street.

Solution: The architect drew inspiration from the tale of 'The Blind Men and the Elephant' in developing the house's diverse material palette. The story describes how, when you touch an elephant in darkness, you could feel a tree trunk, snake, fan, etc.

Similarly, the house would provide a variety of sensations for its residents. The exterior of the squat, gabled structure is clad in sheets of smooth black steel accented by angled ridges. However, the house opens up on the inside where a continuous living, dining, and kitchen area wraps around a central open courtyard. While the walls and ceilings of this living area are covered in taupe-colored plaster of a moderately rough texture, the master bedroom and bathroom'also on the ground floor'are bright green and deep indigo. The upper floor bedroom, tucked under the steep slope of the gable roof, is enlivened by windows of various sizes and shapes.

Construction and Materials: The house's structure consists of glu-lam wooden frame on a concrete foundation.

Architect:
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
604-0004, 283-2, Aioi-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Japan
TEL :075.708.2824
FAX :075.708.2824
info@hiromuna.com