CASE-REAL: house in saitozaki

‘house in saitozaki’ by CASE-REAL in fukuoka, japan all images courtesy CASE-REAL image © hiroshi mizusaki

japanese architecture practice CASE-REAL (koichi futatsumata) has shared with us images of ‘house in saitozaki’, a private family residence in fukuoka, japan. combining the archetypical volumes of a one-storey dwelling and a two-storey dwelling, the resulting design exhibits a pragmatic structure that accommodates its domestic programs with ideal conditions.

views of entrance and cladding images © hiroshi mizusaki

focusing on orientation as well as the site’s accessibility to roads, the free-standing dwelling establishes a solid presence within the neighbourhood with a vertically-running metal cladding. square-shaped windows puncture the elevations at regular intervals, lending a slightly warehouse-like aesthetic. by the street, a triangular terrace that continues out of the children’s play space and living room allows an easy transition from indoors to outdoors.

view from terrace image © hiroshi mizusaki

housed within the ‘single-storey house’ volume are the communal programs, arranged linearly for an open circulation of use. the lower ceiling height combined with the exposed wooden beam structure results in an intimate spatial atmosphere for the living and dining room. within the flat-roofed ‘double-storey house’ volume are the functions that require more privacy, including the washroom and bedrooms. the slimmer layout allows for a well-illuminated volume with windows taking in light from both sides.

interior views of communal space images © hiroshi mizusaki

view on to terrace from living space image © hiroshi mizusaki

entrance images © hiroshi mizusaki

view of living room from hall image © hiroshi mizusaki

upstairs hallway images © hiroshi mizusaki

(left) sliding doors on bedroom (right) hallway images © hiroshi mizusaki

windows and roof lights image © hiroshi mizusaki

night views images © hiroshi mizusaki

conceptual sketch

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level +1

project info:

site area: 169.0 m2 building area: 76.9 m2 floor area: 123.2 m2 (76.9 m2 / level 0, 76.3 m2 / level +1)

structural engineer: jikuu-koubou