naoko horibe architect’s office: adzuki

‘adzuki’ by naoko horibe architect’s office in himeji-shi, hyogo, japan all images courtesy of naoko horibe architect’s office

japanese practice naoko horibe architect’s office has sent us images of ‘adzuki’, a small three-storey private residence for a single family in himeji-shi, hyogo, japan. situated on a plot measuring a little over 80 m2, the exceptionally compact design seeks to establish an open sense of space by carefully arranging rooms around an interior courtyard.

exterior view

situated on a corner of an intersection, the house is bound on three sides by roads. a space for outdoor parking is created by stepping back the structure from the east side of the plot line. wrapped in a skin of galvanized steel panels finished in a dark burgundy shade, he simple volume exhibits a closed face to the street, save for a series of large, elevated windows that give glimpses of the courtyard within. this space features a contrasting white finish which lends the design an added sense of depth.

elevations

entrance

placed mid-depth into the layout is a slim courtyard that extends the height of the three-storey house. upon entry, it is the main focal point of the space with sliding glass doors drawing natural daylight into the interior. the major communal programs such as the kitchen, dining and living rooms are placed on the second level and are arranged to directly look into the courtyard. the staircase is utilized as a spatial tool to define the different programs without the aid of full wall partitions. the floor slabs are also offset to create diversity in ceiling heights, extending the sense of space vertically for common rooms.

(left) entryway (right) courtyard

view of courtyard from the inside

view from living room

(left) outdoor balcony (right) view of courtyard under stairs

kitchen

views of living space

view of courtyard and the street from dining space

courtyard at night

from entry

night view

floor plan / level 0 (1) entrance (2) master bedroom (3) washroom (4) bathroom (5) lavatory (6) terrace (7) courtyard (8) car parking space (9) bicycle parking space

floor plan / level +1 (10) dining & kitchen (11) living room (12) balcony

floor plan / level +2 (13) free space

project info:

principal use: residence structure: wooden construction storeys: three above grade site area: 83.60 m2 building area: 30.04 m2 total floor space: 73.55 m2