naoko horibe architect’s office: house in suita

‘house in suita’ by naoko horibe architect’s office, suita-shi, japan image © kaori ichikawa all images courtesy of naoko horibe architect’s office

overlooking a residential street in suita-shi, japan, the ‘house in suita’ by tokyo-based naoko horibe architect’s office borrows scenery from a nearby 50-year old cherry tree. two glass cubes open the corners of the dwelling, one offering a panoramic view towards the leafy canopy positioned to the north of the structure. smaller in size, the other takes into account a high retaining wall to the south of the sloping site by minimizing exposure to the home’s lowest level. the gradually graded lawn and curved concrete stairway form a comfortable approach to the front door.

prioritizing convenience, the functional areas including the entry, kitchen, dining room and studio are placed within the more enclosed ground floor. a stairway of wooden treads leads to the spacious living room on the first floor. protected with walls, an open-air courtyard may be accessed from the TV room and master bedroom. lined with a wood ledge, the north-facing corner glazing introduces warm sunlight through the continuous common area.

view of house from the 50-year old cherry tree image © kaori ichikawa

site is bordered by a retaining wall to the south image © kaori ichikawa

ground level dining area is designed for convenience image © kaori ichikawa

view of kitchen from the dining area image © kaori ichikawa

view of stairs and dining area from the first floor image © kaori ichikawa

north-facing window image © kaori ichikawa

view from the living room image © kaori ichikawa

living room image © kaori ichikawa

living room + balcony beyond image © kaori ichikawa

TV area + balcony image © kaori ichikawa

bedroom image © kaori ichikawa

washroom + lavatory image © kaori ichikawa

illuminated at night image © kaori ichikawa

floor plan / level 0 1. entrance 2. dining & kitchen    3. atelier 4. washroom & lavatory 5. bathroom 6. walk-in closet 7. shoe closet 8. lavatory 9. car parking space

floor plan / level 1 10. living room 11. child’s bedroom 12. library 13. master bedroom 14. balcony

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project info:

design to completion: march 2010-july 2010 location: suita-shi, osaka primary usage: residence structure: steel-frame construction, two stories above ground family structure: couple with two children site area: 199.31 m2 building area: 69.01 m2 total floor space: 112.74 m2 architect: naoko horibe photographer: kaori ichikawa