‘house in kyobate’ by naoko horibe architect’s office, nara-shi, japan image © eiji tomita all images courtesy of naoko horibe architect’s office

 

 

 

tokyo-based practice naoko horibe architect’s office have recently completed the ‘house in kyobate’ for a couple and their two children in nara-shi, japan. a wooden cube is extracted from the corner of the neutral two-storey elevation, cantilevering above the perimeter plantings and forecourt. addressing the street, the windowless facade and extracted volume alludes to the programmatic hierarchy within the interior of the home. a japanese tatami room is contained within the box, featuring a partial enclosure with an open corner to act as a mezzanine. placed at the vertical midpoint of the structure, inhabitants are offered a vantage point to oversee the activity occurring within the upper and lower levels.

windows within the internal partitions create opportunities for cross-communication through the full-height atrium from the combined living, dining and kitchen to the first floor bedrooms. aerial views of the central area are framed through intermittent bands of windows, experienced as dwellers climb a stair which wraps the perimeter wall.

 

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 2 (left) view from the street (right) patio images © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 3 entry image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 4 view of the living area from the dining area image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 5 view from the kitchen image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 6 mezzanine tatami room is positioned halfway within the double-storey vertical space images © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 7 stairway image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 8 view of entry from stairway image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 9 (left) tatami room (right) view into the tatami room through open interior from the upper level bedroom images © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 10 tatami room image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 11 (left) stairs to bedrooms (right) view from stairway images © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 12 master bedroom image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 13 view from master bedroom image © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 14 (left) communication between the different levels through the continuous interior (right) dwellers may lounge at the different platforms and levels images © eiji tomita

 

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 15 floor plan / level 0 1. entrance 2. shoe closet 3. living room + dining room 4. kitchen 5. lavatory 6. washroom 7. bathroom 8. drying place 9. parking space

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 16 floor plan / level 1 10. tatami room 11. children’s bedroom 12. master bedroom

naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate - 17 section 2. shoe closet 3. living room + dining room 4. kitchen 6. washroom 9. tatami room

10. children’s bedroom

11. master bedroom

 

project info:

 

design to completion: march 2011-august 2011 location: nara-shi, nara primary usage: residence structure: wooden construction, two stories above ground site area: 165.34 m2 building area: 52.17 m2 total floor space: 93.58 m2 architect: naoko horibe photographer: eiji tomita