house on pilotis – 4N by ninkipen!

house on pilotis – 4N by ninkipen!
photos by hiroki kawada
all images courtesy of ninkipen!

reclaimed after the wake of the 3.11 tsunami and earthquake in japan, the site of ‘4N house’ by ninkipen! was originally divided into two levels with a retaining wall running through it. in recovering the residence and its position within the ikoma city landscape in nara prefecture, ninkipen! redeveloped the land and surviving structure, by taking down the wall and fabricating a slope to orienting half of the rectangular volume on the inclined terrain–with the back end of the house supported by pilotis–making the home appear as it is floating above the ground, thus creating a small shaded play area for the family’s children. this intervention also offers an alternative entrance into the house through the base of the residence.

the house is built on pilotis creating a shaded play area for the family’s children as well as a second entrance

at ground level the house has a generous living room and kitchen area which is separated by glass door partitions keeping views of the home open. the minimalist design sees the employment of wood and concrete used throughout, with a built-in kitchen counter that has a thin concrete slab surface that rests on a timber frame. the top level is an intimate attic-shaped space that is balanced on a lofted wood beam construction. timber framing marks the ceiling of the dwelling with several skylights throughout, flooding the interior with natural light, while a window rail on the second floor is cantilevered to allow wind to flow inside.

large windows dot the façade of the home allowing natural light to flood through the interior

approach

first floor living room and kitchen area

a built in timber and concrete counter runs along one side of the home

the lofted upper level is supported by wooden beams which reflect the ceiling’s timber frame

view into the kitchen from the upper floor

the dwelling takes on the iconic shape of a house with a symmetrical pitched roof

1/8