studio cochi architects’ house in sonda curves and splits around a lush, private garden

house in sonda by studio cochi architects

Designed for a couple and their children, the concrete-built House in Sonda by Studio Cochi Architects sits in central Okinawa, Japan, in an area with a high concentration of commercial and residential buildings. The area still hosts several fields and parks, as well as a large greenbelt left over from developments extending to the east. Moreover, the surrounding topography undulates gently thanks to highlands taking over the north, east, and south. ‘The client, who loves architecture and particularly likes architect Tsutomu Abe’s own house, requested that we create a kind of house that would suit them and that considers not only the building and layout but also the relationship with the surrounding environment,’ shares the Japanese practice. 

creating a garden at the center of the residence

According to the team at Studio Cochi Architects, all family members participated in the meetings for House in Sonda, sharing their opinions and discussing solutions. As the meetings progressed, the project eventually involved creating a garden at the center of the residence, one that would hosts various activities. Encircling and scattered throughout the landscaped area is an arrangement of the family members’ private spaces. ‘The fact that the site is surrounded by high land on three sides is often a disadvantage in ordinary residential areas, but it has the advantage of protecting the building from storms such as typhoons, as the high land acts as a natural wall,’ note the architects. 

a scattered, one-floor open plan with multi-size openings

Layout-wise, House in Sonda is designed to open up to the spacious garden on the east side of the building. The interior unfolds as a one-room plan, with almost no partitions from the entrance — meaning that each family member’s quarters of residence becomes visible and hidden in succession. Each of these rooms open onto the garden at the center, which in turn opens to another green space. To avoid monotony, the architects create variations in ceiling heights and floor levels according to the character of each living space. Meanwhile, multi-sized windows take over the facades to allow the eye to pass through in various directions. 

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project info:

name: House in Sonda 

architecture: Studio Cochi Architects | @studiocochiarchitects

location: Okinawa, Japan

photographer: Ooki Jingu | @ookijingu