kengo kuma: water cherry house

‘water cherry house’ by kengo kuma, eastern japanimage © shinkenchiku-sha

located in a natural park at the top of a cliff overlooking the eastern coast, the ‘water cherry house’ by japanese firm kengo kuma reflects the intricate delicacyof its pristine environment in the subtly decisive morphological moves of the structure. as shown in JA+U (Japan Architecture+Urbanism, the private residence is composed of a series of gabled-roof units tied together by an exterior pathway that holds a strong relationship to a natural water feature. extremely slender metal frames and walkways coupled with the near absence of primary structure creates the impression of flotation, emphasized by the expansive glass envelope that mirrors the sky and trees as they disappear into the ocean’s horizon. thin wood planks define the underside of the overhanging eaves and the exterior wrap-around terraces, interrupted by the tatami-proportioned single-volume interiors with retractable rice paper walls and patterned ceilings.

walk through of the residencevideo © shinkenchiku-sha

thin elements balanced by a glass-like water surface and stonesimage © shinkenchiku-sha

shallow reflecting pools integrated into the land and structureimage © shinkenchiku-sha

entry into houseimage © shinkenchiku-sha

living room on the top levelimage © shinkenchiku-sha

image © shinkenchiku-sha

wrap-around deckimage © shinkenchiku-sha

view over the lower structure and poolsimage © shinkenchiku-sha

tea roomimage © shinkenchiku-sha

retractable rice-paper and glass wallsimage © shinkenchiku-sha

thin wood elements create a delicate textureimage © shinkenchiku-sha

bath embedded into the ground as all the water featuresimage © shinkenchiku-sha

image © shinkenchiku-sha

image © shinkenchiku-sha