edward suzuki architecture: house on the bluff

‘house on the bluff’ by edward suzuki architecture, yamate, yokohama, japan all images courtesy of edward suzuki architecture

japanese firm edward suzuki architecture has just completed ‘house on the bluff’, a residence with an attached studio office in the yamate district of yokohama, japan. the dwelling’s name derives from its positioning upon a bluff to present commanding views of the seaport city to inhabitants. the off-white exterior is an aesthetic taken from the existing, surrounding homes while intermittent bands of wooden louvers add visual warmth and privacy for the japanese room.

surfaced with a locally prevalent material, bamboo laminate, the ground level contains the common areas of the interior. a library for the wife features a curved wall with integrated shelving, also serving as an acoustical concert space for a musical band to play. an adjacent study for the husband is also incorporated. a double height living room is overlooked by the master bedroom through an internal window.

main entrance

front door

terrace

dining room with living area beyond

dining room

house

living area

dining room

kitchen

library / study

library / study

bamboo laminate surfaces the ground floor

bamboo reeds act as partition

view through bamboo reeds

first floor

screen open

screen closed

office

bedroom

master bedroom overlooks the living area

bathroom

view from roof terrace

terrace at night

project info:

location: yamate, yokohama, japan design period: august 2010 – april 2011 construction period: may 2011- january 2012 structure: RC site area: 767.54m2 ground coverage: 260.02m2 floor areas: 1F 226.52m2 , 2F 158.07m2 total floor area: 384.59m2