‘ordinary house’ by FORM / kouichi kimura architects, shiga, japan image © MOVE
japanese practice FORM / koichi kimura architects has completed ‘ordinary house’, a single family residence located in shiga, japan. positioned within a newly constructed residential development, this home intentionally recedes into its mundane context with minimal external detailing and landscape features. the simple rectangular volume has minimal penetrations for windows, reducing the overall cost of the structure. the limited bands of windows have been carefully laid out to translate into the interior configuration.
front door leads directly to stairway image © MOVE
the ground level corridors lead to the private spaces and bedroom, while an entry stair leads up to the common areas. the living, dining and kitchen areas revolve around the void within the floor plate for the stairs with open views across the half-wall railing. a central rectangular skylight illuminates the entire area and filters into the stairwell providing a soft and guiding light to visitors.
light filtering down from above image © MOVE
common spaces revolve around void within floor image © MOVE
skylight positioned above stair image © MOVE
a series of half-walls maintain communication across the common area image © MOVE
living, dining and kitchen image © MOVE
(left) corridor (right) skylight images © MOVE
floor plan / level 0 image courtesy kouichi kimura
floor plan / level +1 image courtesy kouichi kimura
project info:
architects: form/kouichi kimura architects location: shiga, japan client: private construction year: 2011 site area: 127.8 sqm constructed area: 102.67 sqm
FORM / KOUICHI KIMURA ARCHITECTS (16)
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A white cube on a plinth hardly “recedes into it’s mundane context.” (Unless the context happens to be populated by many other white cubes on plinths.)
i wonder why did they separate the bath, the wc and the wash basin.
interesting – “recessive” architecture for recessionary times
eloquent little piece of work
wow look what I made, a white box!
Looks sharp, but seems like a very cold living space. (figuratively speaking)
Wow. These Japanese houses give new meaning to the word minimalism. Do the Japanese have a life, outside of the spiritual realm?
square rabbit’s hole…