naoko horibe architect’s office: house in kyobate

‘house in kyobate’ by naoko horibe architect’s office, nara-shi, japan image © eiji tomita all images courtesy of naoko horibe architect’s office

tokyo-based practice naoko horibe architect’s office have recently completed the ‘house in kyobate’ for a couple and their two children in nara-shi, japan. a wooden cube is extracted from the corner of the neutral two-storey elevation, cantilevering above the perimeter plantings and forecourt. addressing the street, the windowless facade and extracted volume alludes to the programmatic hierarchy within the interior of the home. a japanese tatami room is contained within the box, featuring a partial enclosure with an open corner to act as a mezzanine. placed at the vertical midpoint of the structure, inhabitants are offered a vantage point to oversee the activity occurring within the upper and lower levels.

windows within the internal partitions create opportunities for cross-communication through the full-height atrium from the combined living, dining and kitchen to the first floor bedrooms. aerial views of the central area are framed through intermittent bands of windows, experienced as dwellers climb a stair which wraps the perimeter wall.

(left) view from the street (right) patio images © eiji tomita

entry image © eiji tomita

view of the living area from the dining area image © eiji tomita

view from the kitchen image © eiji tomita

mezzanine tatami room is positioned halfway within the double-storey vertical space images © eiji tomita

stairway image © eiji tomita

view of entry from stairway image © eiji tomita

(left) tatami room (right) view into the tatami room through open interior from the upper level bedroom images © eiji tomita

tatami room image © eiji tomita

(left) stairs to bedrooms (right) view from stairway images © eiji tomita

master bedroom image © eiji tomita

view from master bedroom image © eiji tomita

(left) communication between the different levels through the continuous interior (right) dwellers may lounge at the different platforms and levels images © eiji tomita

floor plan / level 0 1. entrance 2. shoe closet 3. living room + dining room 4. kitchen 5. lavatory 6. washroom 7. bathroom 8. drying place 9. parking space

floor plan / level 1 10. tatami room 11. children’s bedroom 12. master bedroom

section 2. shoe closet 3. living room + dining room 4. kitchen 6. washroom 9. tatami room

10. children’s bedroom

11. master bedroom

project info:

design to completion: march 2011-august 2011 location: nara-shi, nara primary usage: residence structure: wooden construction, two stories above ground site area: 165.34 m2 building area: 52.17 m2 total floor space: 93.58 m2 architect: naoko horibe photographer: eiji tomita