toyo ito x lixil: beyond the residence at house vision

toyo ito x lixil: beyond the residence – imagining a house for the nostalgicimage © HOUSE VISION / photo by nacása & partners inc.

last year, architect toyo ito published a book entitled ‘ano hi kara no kenchiuku’ (architecture after that day), with the words ‘that day’, referring to march 11, 2011, when japan’s east coast was struck by the great earthquake. the natural disaster has seen mr. ito’s involvement in a number of projects, not only directly related to the recovery of the tohoku region which was hit, but also for the general development of homes and the lifestyle of the japanese people–one that is less dependent on nuclear power, based on a new balance of energy sources.

in a collaboration with lixil (japanese company is considering ways in which to achieve a symbiosis between nature and the built environment),mr. ito presented ‘beyond the residence’, imagining a house for the nostalgic future at HOUSE VISION shown at tokyo’s waterside odaiba exhibition centre in march 2013.

graphic designer and curator kenya hara is the mastermind behind the HOUSE VISION 2013 exhibition, a platform which has invited creatives toexplore urban living with a new mind-set. his aim is nothing less than to revolutionize the japanese public’s attitude towards housing and related industries in the years to come. hara believes in the possibility of the ‘high-tech housing taking over’ and visitors to the HOUSE VISION exhibition were given the opportunity to assess eight life-size models of dwellings that addressed the demands of japan’s next generation.

the general living space of the home is raised off the ground on wooden platforms, typical of traditional japanese homesimage © HOUSE VISION / photo by nacása & partners inc.

combining japanese traditions with modern technology, the pavilion presents contemporary living proposals that still encompass the small eastern asian country’s culture. the dwellings see the elevation of major living areas off the ground onto vertical and horizontal beams, a structural framework which in the past had been implemented in japanese homes so that contact with moisture from the ground was avoided. large sliding doors eliminate the physical barrier between exterior to interior when desired, opening up the home to nature.

the dining room and bathroom are featured in enclosed spaces, with intermediate areas linked to that of  japanese housingwhich has an enclosed garden and other surrounding green spaces. the structures present living areas which can be used in an open format, while also considering the possibility of separating the rooms from the outside, insulation them from the elements so that the homes can also be enjoyed comfortably when enclosed.

image © HOUSE VISION / image courtesy of toyo ito

image © HOUSE VISION / image courtesy of toyo ito

interview with yoshiaki fujimori, LIXIL presidentvideo © HOUSE VISION

interview with toyo ito (japanese only)video © HOUSE VISION

image © HOUSE VISION / photo by nacása & partners inc.

image © HOUSE VISION / photo by nacása & partners inc.

the house vision 2013 tokyo exhibition is a huge stage for bringing these concepts to life. the exhibition will provide specific examples of the roles that not only the housing industry but also a diverse range of other industries should play in future years in home creation. with the planning concept of “let’s create new homes with a new common sense—and depict a future vision of industry,” companies, architects, and home creators who have participated in the movement thus far are collaborating to present a variety of homes of the future in seven independent pavilions.