ALTS design office: kofunaki house

‘kofunaki house’ by ALTS design office, shiga, japan all images courtesy of ALTS design office

positioned within an eco-village in shiga, japan, the ‘kofunaki house’ designed by sumiou mizumoto and yoshitaka kuga of shiga-based practice ALTS design office offers inhabitants a nature-filled interior evoking the essence of the outdoor environment. derived from the memory of ancient humans and their previous cohabitation in nature and japanese desire to experience changing seasons, this dwelling integrates the woods into the heart of the living space.

wood is the prevalent finishing material, surfacing accent walls in planks along with matching cabinets, tables and chairs. on the ground level, patches are removed from the concrete floors and filled with fine gravel to plant shrubs and trees. wooden boards are inset into the loose floor covering like stepping stones for a secure foothold. these components are continued as the treads on the open-riser stair to the upper-storey.

shrubs are planted within small plots on the home’s ground level

wooden planks are inset into gravel patches

green plants are perched at various heights to surround inhabitants with vegetation

children’s room

illuminated at night

at night

floor plan / level 0 1. parking 2. approach 3. entrance 4. washroom 5. doma 6. bedroom 7. living room 8. dining / kitchen

floor plan / level 1 9. balcony 10. void 11. study room 12. children’s room 13. loft

project info:

project name: kofunaki house construction: built of wood number of stories:  2 total floor area: 132.31 m2 location: shiga/japan completion: 2012.3