studio tawaraya connects wooden ‘house in tanmachi’ with its surroundings in japan

studio tawaraya has designed house in tanmachi, a wooden family residence located in a calm residential area close to the center of yokohama city, japan. the project has been developed around three main themes, which include: the relationship with the exterior surroundings and the three roads that encompass the property; the three-dimensional awareness of the family’s whereabouts; and the feel of the warmness of trees without compromising the home’s fire resistance performance.all images by yosuke ohtake

in order to establish a relationship with the exterior surroundings, studio tawaraya has added two floor-to-ceiling openings on the corner of the two-story house. these openings include sliding doors on the ground level, and a large window on the upper floor, both of which help blend the boundaries between interior and exterior. additionally, the japanese architecture studio has carefully developed a connection with the three roads that surround the property. by not planning any solid boundaries, such as fences or half-walls, for the perimeter of the house, the architects have visually extended exterior space to include those three roads.

inside, the house has been developed with the main focus of developing a three-dimensional awareness of the family’s whereabouts from any point of view. the ground level comprises common living areas such as the kitchen, living and dining rooms, and a traditional japanese-style tatami room. the entire ground level is visually connected to the upper floor through the open staircase and balcony-style corridor that features a long wooden desk. 

project info:

name:house in tanmachi

architect: studio tawaraya

location: yokohama, kanagawa, japan