schemata architecture office: hanare house

‘hanare’ by schemata architecture office all photos by takumi ota

located near the seaside in chiba prefecture, japan, ‘hanare’ is an annex house designed by japanese practice schemata architecture office. used 2-3 times a week by its owner whose main base is in tokyo, it is situated on a mountain which the client bought for this occasional residence. the structure is built around a central rock formation which extends upwards, and is elevated off the ground, perched upon a metal support system of pilotis to accommodate this natural obstruction. because of its positioning, within the landscape ‘hanare’ appears as if it is a castle sitting upon a hill.

close up view of the mountainous site

during the construction process, the firm had a number of obstacles to deal with because of the complex locale such as having to install an electricity line, getting a drinking water supply to and from the house via a fountain, constructing a bridge over the irrigation canal, and the interior design and building work itself.

the residence sits upon a metal framework of pilotis

‘hanare’, though built using man-made energy, incorporates ecologically sustainable strategies to maintain and function the house. such features include a 2 meter long eaves for shading the interior space from the western sun, using low-E glass windows to control heat transfer into the home and wooden sash for insulation, as well the presence of a trombe wall which faces the sun to absorb natural energy to power the dwelling.

the open air terrace situated below the residence

  entrance

kitchen and living area

floor to ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the surrounding landscape

view into the kitchen with built in wire shelving

exposed storage spaces

a built-in table wraps around the main living area into the kitchen

alternative view

the house is composed of a steel and wooden framework

bathrooms

main bathroom

bedroom area

‘hanare’ by night

plan

section

project info:

title: hanare house architects: schemata architecture office structural engineer: ejiri structual engineers contractor: takaaki mitsui location: chiba prefecture typology: residence constructed area: 933.9 m2 footprint: 181.96 m2 architectural area: 180.08m2 structure: steel, wood  construction year: 2011