flow: si house

<p>seeking to dissolve the boundaries between the internal and external environments, the design features a large central courtyard that connects the dwelling together. </p>

erika kim October 24, 2011 2 min

‘si house’ by flow in azami, japan all images courtesy flow

japanese architecture practice flow (takashi satoh) has sent us images of ‘si house’, a single-storey family home in a rural area of japan. seeking to dissolve the boundaries between the internal and external environments, the design features a large central courtyard that connects the house together.

flow: si house - 1 exterior view

situated on a desolate plot adjacent to an elementary school, the low-lying structure is fronted by a large opening into the courtyard that serves as an entrance archway. a fabric curtain can be drawn to provide a translucent privacy for the outdoor space. mostly closed off to the immediate site, the facades that face inward to the courtyard are completely transparent through floor-to-ceiling glazine. additional natural light is drawn in by elevated windows that are placed on the slanted roof form that are inverted outwards.

flow: si house - 2 street view

flow: si house - 3 outdoor curtains closed

flow: si house - 4 outdoor curtains opened

u-shaped in layout, the dwelling’s domestic program flow around the central courtyard. multiple visual connections are made between different areas of the house, layering the spaces around the outdoor pocket. as a result, the courtyard becomes a buffering zone between individual environments. the raised roof allows additional vertical space for a small loft level which overlooks the space below.

flow: si house - 5 view of courtyard