hiroto kawaguchi+kohei yukawa's wood-clad newtown house overlooks the picturesque japanese landscape

japanese architect hiroto kawaguchi in collaboration with kohei yukawa were commissioned to build a  family house overlooking the picturesque japanese landscape. the residential house offers view of the clear blue skies as well as the cherry blossom trees. the home features three spaces: the parent’s house, the children’s house and ‘everyone’s house’. while keeping the central space open for everyone of the house, both the parents’ and the children’s houses stay open and connected.

the residential house offers view of the clear blue skies as well as the cherry blossom trees
all images @ yohei sasakura

hiroto kawaguchi and kohei yukawa‘s newtown house is a residence that emits the sense of ‘living in the landscape’ due to the surrounding series of house-like volumes. ‘everyone’s house’ is a continuous space both inside and out, and has varying floors with differing meanings to each level. the hallway is a continuous space that can act as either a playground for the children, a study room for the family, or become a living room for the newtown residents.

the newtown house is a residence that emits the sense of ‘living in the landscape’

the inclined wooden ceiling found in each space is made continuous so that the human area and the scaled out volume can coexist. the slope of the ceiling connects to the outside area via the balcony, so that the residents experience the mountain ranges on the east and newtown in the west. by rearranging and reconstructing the spaces of the house, the architects created a new relationship between the people and the landscape.

the staircase functions as chair, a table and storage

an alternative view of the multi-use seating area

the ‘everyone’s house’ space

an alternative view of ‘everyone’s house’

the wood-clad staircase

the slanted wooden ceiling

the living room and the kitchen

a split-view of the living room, dining area, and kitchen

the residence is nestled among the kyoto suburbs

the illuminated residence at sunset

project info:

completed: 2016.08
location: kyoto city, japan
use: special residential
construction: wooden
area: 164.48 sqm
building area: 99.02 sqm
extension bed area: 132.04 sqm

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edited by: lynn chaya | designboom