kengo kuma: water cherry house
the house is made up of thin materials that reflect - both literally and metaphorically - their surrounding environment, blending the residence into the sky.
‘water cherry house’ by kengo kuma, eastern japanimage © shinkenchiku-sha
located in a natural park at the top of a cliff overlooking the eastern coast, the ‘water cherry house’ by japanese firm kengo kuma reflects the intricate delicacyof its pristine environment in the subtly decisive morphological moves of the structure. as shown in JA+U (Japan Architecture+Urbanism, the private residence is composed of a series of gabled-roof units tied together by an exterior pathway that holds a strong relationship to a natural water feature. extremely slender metal frames and walkways coupled with the near absence of primary structure creates the impression of flotation, emphasized by the expansive glass envelope that mirrors the sky and trees as they disappear into the ocean’s horizon. thin wood planks define the underside of the overhanging eaves and the exterior wrap-around terraces, interrupted by the tatami-proportioned single-volume interiors with retractable rice paper walls and patterned ceilings.
walk through of the residencevideo © shinkenchiku-sha
thin elements balanced by a glass-like water surface and stonesimage © shinkenchiku-sha
shallow reflecting pools integrated into the land and structureimage © shinkenchiku-sha
entry into houseimage © shinkenchiku-sha
living room on the top levelimage © shinkenchiku-sha
image © shinkenchiku-sha
wrap-around deckimage © shinkenchiku-sha
view over the lower structure and poolsimage © shinkenchiku-sha
tea roomimage © shinkenchiku-sha
retractable rice-paper and glass wallsimage © shinkenchiku-sha
thin wood elements create a delicate textureimage © shinkenchiku-sha
bath embedded into the ground as all the water featuresimage © shinkenchiku-sha
image © shinkenchiku-sha
image © shinkenchiku-sha
