masahiko sato of architect show elevates Y2 house

masahiko sato of architect show elevates Y2 house image © toshihisa ishiiall images courtesy of masahiko sato

situated along route 204 in sasebo-city, japan is ‘Y2 house’ designed by masahiko sato / architect show. conceived for a grandmother and her grandchild, the site sees the placement of two homes that have been designed in such a way that the volumes appear as a singular structure.

approach from the streetimage © toshihisa ishii

the grandmother’s house consists of one-storey, while her grandchild occupies a building of two-storeys that is situated on the east side of the property. this positioning allows the latter to be naturally ventilated and filled with sunlight that comes from the southeast, via long slender window slits that run vertically and horizontally along the façades. 

wooden louvers as screening elements from direct light and viewsimage © toshihisa ishii

from the road, the two homes are emphasized by a horizontal connection via louvers and a retaining wall and are separated by an elevation of 2.3 meters.

front view defined by louvers and a retaining wallimage © toshihisa ishii

atrium space filled with lightimage © toshihisa ishii

ground floor view of the lofted spaceimage © toshihisa ishii

slender rectangular windows run horizontally and vertically along the façadesimage © toshihisa ishii

tatami floors line a small alcove in the living spaceimage © toshihisa ishii

dining and kitchen areaimage © toshihisa ishii

view into the living room from the dining/kitchen areaimage © toshihisa ishii

stairwayimage © toshihisa ishii

the interior at duskimage © toshihisa ishii

the windows add an element of abstractionimage © toshihisa ishii

the elevated volume by nightimage © toshihisa ishii

front viewimage © toshihisa ishii

‘Y2 house’ in its neighbourhood contextimage © toshihisa ishii

floor planimage © toshihisa ishii

floor planimage © toshihisa ishii