keisuke hatakenaka adds office + greenhouse to minimal residence in japan

keisuke hatakenaka architects studio has extended a minimal japanese residence in north-kanto with an office, an atelier, and a greenhouse. large, fixed openings of different dimensions are placed in the extension’s walls, facing the property’s garden and allowing plenty of natural light to enter inside. similar openings are also used within the interior to separate its different rooms while blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.all images by masashi mikuma

keisuke hatakenaka architects studio developed the extension according to the client’s requests, who asked to build office and parking for work, and an atelier and greenhouse for hobby in the neighboring land which was recently bought. large fixed windows were also part of the requests, which the japanese architecture studio incorporated in the extension’s walls to face the property’s garden. ‘at first, we didn’t think it was a good idea to use fixed windows in this site’, notes keisuke hatakenaka, as the land does not benefit from good views.

in order to accommodate the client’s wish, the architects decided to utilize the open space between the main house and the extension as an intermediate private zone. floor-to-ceiling fixed windows facing this zone create intricate views that blur the boundaries between outside and inside. additionally, large windows are also placed within the interior in order to separate the different rooms, adding to the visual play between outside and in.

‘there is no special design on itself, but by using the familiar fixed window, which is a symbol of a border, we can confuse the hierarchy between spaces,’ adds keisuke hatakenaka. ‘when the client’s objects overflow the inside or outside, the hierarchy is even more confused and we hope they will perceive this whole site as a single living space.’