studio velocity: montblanc house
‘montblanc house’ by studio velocity all images courtesy studio velocity
okazaki-based practice studio velocity has completed ‘montblanc house’, a three-storey dwelling with a small salon in a quiet residential area of japan. enclosed by three neighbouring buildings, the design seeks to generate pockets of open space that maintain its privacy and views toward the mountains despite its tight site.
view from terrace
featuring a deep inclined roof, the house is playfully over-sized in its architectural elements, manipulating the scale of windows through large voids in the exterior shell. the openings – five in all – establish a direct connection to the outside, providing abundant natural light and air, as well as views to the scenery. devoid of any glazing, the boundary between inside and outside is rendered ambiguous, creating unconventional outdoor space that is partially sheltered such as the roof terrace.
roof top space
with the interior volume set apart from the exterior shell, private moments are created in the interstitial space: on the ground floor, a small garden is accommodated next to the dining room; two outdoor terraces on the second level further integrates the living space with the exterior.
large void in exterior shell
outdoor spaces
view from roof
private garden
view of garden from kitchen and dining
general view
site plan
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level +1
roof plan
section 1
section 2
section 3
studio velocity (4 articles)
studio velocity's kowa apartments in japan encourage interaction between neighbors
studio velocity maintains green space within gridded university center
studio velocity: little one room house with a curve
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the images illustrate the composition of the house, where the original wooden structure sits on top of its more recently built foundation.
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It would be nice to see appropriate furniture in this space
I think that furniture is perfect!
I just wonder how painful it would be to keep that white roof white and clean…
Prefect adult dwelling. Loved it!
Delightful! Innovative and covers requirements more than adequately. Fun came to mind when I first viewed it d;-)
I think the paint factory in japan only manufactures white paint. Every architectural feature on design boom is generally white. Also great, fun and wonderfull, I wonder how frequently the outside spaces will get utilised. Creating
This is a very rich house for a very tight space. It fully utilises the sloped roof, both for sunlight and for views/balconies. One of the diagrams even suggests passive cooling.
i love that the upper roof terrace has a sloping floor, poetic!
I like the roof terrace and double height living area. not sure why building code in Japan allows the roof terrace design without balustrades, which i think is important to the safety of users(children in the house).