secret garden by ryuichi ashizawa architects image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects all photos © kaori ichikawa

sg (secret garden) by ryuichi ashizawa architects is located in a residential area in isezaki-city in gunma prefecture in japan. designed for a family of 4, the project consists of box like structures connected by a rooftop garden. almost all of the roof’s plants function as insulation.

each building has been created according to each user’s requirements in terms of color, size and space. they were they placed in a circular form based on distance and relationship.

the house is for a family which has small children. they are growing and also the parents will get older, which means that the lifestyle of family is always changing. ryuichi ashizawa architects tried to propose a flexible and sustainable house for all the stages of the family in the future. there are four fixed concrete boxes which will not change for a long time in the house (car’s room inside/car’s room outside/ water’s space/ parent’s space) each are positioned at the corner of the site. other functions (entrance/ space for connection/ living/ dining / daughter’s room/ son’s room / japanese room / working room) were placed between each concrete box.

the house is mainly built of timber (japanese cedar) from the local industry and concrete. in addition they also gathered japanese cedars from the surrounding landscape, as well as soil and gravel which they used on the roof of the site.

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden view from above image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden rooftop garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden model of secret garden image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden section view image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects

ryuichi ashizawa architects: secret garden elevation view image courtesy ryuichi ashizawa architects