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Home » Elephant House
Featured HousesResidential Architecture

Elephant House

Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kai Nakamura
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kohei Ishikawa
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kohei Ishikawa
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Photo © Kohei Ishikawa
Elephant House
Elephant House
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Kyoto, Japan
Image courtesy Hiromu Nakanishi Architects
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
Elephant House
May 16, 2015
KEYWORDS Japan
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Architects & Firms

Hiromu Nakanishi Architects

Kyoto, Japan

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

People

Architect:
Hiromu Nakanishi Architects,
283-2, Aioi-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Japan
+81(0)75.708.2824

Architect of record:
Hiromu Nakanishi

Engineers:
Structural:
Eisuke Mitsuda

Consultant(s):
Landscape:
Takeo Nakai

General contractor:
sakuji corp.

Photographer(s):
Kai Nakamura
+81(0)907.220.1450

 

Products

Structural system
Concrete, Steel frames, Glass
wood

Exterior cladding
Metal Panels:
galvanium steel plate

Roofing
Metal:
galvanium steel plate

Windows
Metal frame:
Aluminum frame

Glazing
Glass:
pair glass

Skylights:
pair glass

Doors
Entrances:
wooden door with galvanium steel plate

Hardware
Locksets:
steel

Closers:
aluminum

Pulls:
aluminum

Security devices:
security camera

Interior finishes
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork:
stainless plate

Paints and stains:
wood stain

Wall coverings:
plaster, acrylic emulsion painting, cloth, wood board

Resilient flooring:
pine with rough surface

Carpet:
wool carpet

Furnishings
Fixed seating:sofa
ploum designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

Dining Tables:
diamond designed Patricia Urquiola

Lighting
Interior ambient lighting:
Daiko lighting

Downlights:
daiko lighting

Task lighting:
daiko lighting

Exterior:
Panasonic lighting

Dimming System or other lighting controls:
daiko lighting

Other unique products that contribute to sustainability:
heating floor with hot water system

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