ken'ichi otani architects: house in higashi matsubara

house in higashi matsubara by ken’ichi otani architects

‘house in higashi matsubara’ by japanese firm ken’ichi otani architects is a renovation and expansion project of an eighteen year old house for two families. the house is located in a residential area of suburban tokyo. the site has a good garden with abundant trees on the south side. a tall orange tree provides a nice shade over the west side road.

a part of the existing concrete retaining wall along the street on the west edge was removed to build a new approach staircase to the renovated house toward the orange tree. the new addition was built on the south side of the young family unit facing medium high bush. an exterior wall on the west side of the addition leads to an entrance porch under the orange tree, but limits the view of the private garden from the approach staircase.

a large living-dining area is created by the addition on the south side of the existing part, and also by removal of a bed room. the living-dining area is surrounded by separate walls of similar length, but with various angles each other to realize the sense of continuity of the old and added parts.

each of interior walls and ceilings, are painted in light yellow color and directed in different angles, responding to the variation of outside light with time of a day in a different manner, and also can reflect the subtle change of color of the garden plants with the different seasons.

night view

architect: ken’ichi otani / ken’ichi otani architects structure design: MID location: setagaya, tokyo, japan principal use: residence structure: timber construction site area: 365.83m2 built area: 150.60m2 total floor area: 281.43m2 (renovation area: 52.17m2, extension area：13.14m2, total area: 65.31m2) construction: 2009 photo: koichi torimura