‘amida house’ by kochi architect’s studio, shizuoka, japanimage © daici anoall images courtesy of kochi architect’s studio
the ‘amida house’ in shizuoka, designed by japanese firm kochi architect’s studio, first began as a reformation of corbusier’s domino house system, retaining the concrete floor slab, free plan and slender columns and re-envisioning it in section. the floor planes between the three vertical zones marked by the ‘pilotis’ are shifted up and down as a ‘free section’ rather than a ‘free plan,’ offering a vertical integration of spaces. each level contains a unique function, the kitchen, bedroom, bike storage and garage, display area, guest room and rooftop terraces.
the separate heights provide various connections to either the ground or sky, at times revealing the peak of mount fuji towards the west. the entrance brings visitors to the center area of the dwelling, containing the private functions, with glimpses of the social activities occurring on the floors above. structural walls exist as the exterior envelope, freeing the interior to accentuate the level changes. the vertical circulation is allocated to the back side of the house within a shear wall system and through the several ladders.
each floor communicates with several othersimage © daici ano
offset levelsimage © daici ano
image © daici ano
bedroomimage © daici ano
(left) view to the garage(right) circulationimage © daici ano
living roomimage © daici ano
living room looking towards roof terracesimage © daici ano
(left) bathroom(right) dining roomimage © daici ano
exterior entranceimage © daici ano
site plan
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level 1
floor plan / level 2
floor plan / level 2.5
roof plan
section
section perspective
modelimage © kazuyasu kochi
project info:
architects: kazuyasu kochi / kochi architect’s studiolocation: gotenba, shizuoka, japanstructural engineer: mi+d architectural structure laboratoryconstractor: kouei koumutensite area: 187.3 m2total floor area: 115.5 m2year: 2011
KOCHI ARCHITECT'S STUDIO (7)
Jun 13, 2017
May 07, 2015
May 01, 2015
Aug 07, 2011
Aug 04, 2011PRODUCT LIBRARY
Jan 14, 2021
Jan 13, 2021
Jan 13, 2021
Jan 12, 2021
Japanese architects are seemingly in an ongoing war to out-stage each other in weird house designs. The main purpose for this must be to be published on design forums on the internet (coincidence so many of the projects here are from Japan?). However i do feel sorry for the anxious Japanese hipster clients who are duped into going along with these horrific plans simply to satisfy the architects need to do something crazy.
when I first looked at this, i was intrigued, seemed interesting, and I liked the glimpses that you get through to the different levels. apon further investigation, i have realized that this is possible the most inefficient plans I have ever seen, something Corb would have hated. even though it is a really large 1 bedroom house (for the same space you could get 3 or 4 bedrooms) the spaces still look poky and small.
congratulations on convincing your client to do this, or are you the client?
The coldness of a psychologists office with the impracticality of a snow jacket in Cairo. A good piece of art though, but nothing can make up for the fact that this house is both a bit too far off in function, and a bit lacking in form, it makes for, at most, an interesting thing to be discussed.
you should have very strong legs to live in this house. so much climbing up and down the stairs and ladders…. perhaps that’s what i need, an exercise.