n.yamada architect and associates builds two houses for one family in miyazaki, japan

in a residential area of miyazaki in japan, n.yamada architect and associates has realized two new houses for three generations of the same family. the design applies a unified approach to the exterior of both houses but a unique approach to the interiors according to the differing needs of the two different households.

images by miyuki kaneko of nacasa & partners and tomoki kengaku

house awakigahara 01 is designed for the parents of the family and it echos the traditional japanese architecture of their previous dwelling, which was more than 100 years old and featured a solid timber structure. the parents didn’t want to change their lifestyle too much, therefore, the floor plan of this new construction remains close to their former home.

on the other hand, house awakigahara 02 is designed for the children and grandchildren. the interior is tailored to match the lifestyle of this younger household while the exterior is clad in blackened wood to tie in with the neighboring parent household. for house awakigahara 02, the clients wanted to live in an open home, as they have many friends who like to visit. with this in mind, the entrance is designed as a versatile space. it can serve as a living room, a dining room to eat with friends, a children’s playground, or a pantry to store rice.

to the right side of the entrance is the kitchen and a space with green tatami mats. the left side of the entrance is reduced in scale, and it contains all the private rooms of the house. just like the parent’s dwelling, house awakigahara 02 is a simple gabled building with a concrete bench under the eaves on the south side. it is designed to be in line with the roof of the parent’s household, but there’s a private space arranged on each side to maintain some psychological distance between the two households.

project info:

name: house awakigahara 01 & 02

location: miyazaki, japan

architect: n.yamada architect and associates / yamada nobuhiko

site area: total: 923.8 m2 (house awakigahara 01: 608.28 m2) + (house awakigahara 02: 315.52 m2)

total floor area: total: 230.5 m2 (house awakigahara 01: 141.07 m2) + (house awakigahara 02: 89.43 m2)

year: 2017

photography: miyuki kaneko of nacasa & partners, tomoki kengaku

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