A residence for a family of four living in the suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The site faces Sagami Bay to the west and is located in a quiet residential area near the sea, which is also known as a vacation home area due to its mild climate. The client had been living on the site for some time, and when the neighboring land was cleared, they decided to build a new house by combining two contiguous sites into one.
First, the two sites were leveled, and the existing retaining wall line was partially maintained, while the parking lot and other exterior areas were built. Initially, the client considered building on the vacant lot space while residing in the existing structure, however, from the consideration of the construction term and area efficiency, we decided to remove the existing building before starting construction, to construct a one-story building making the most of the large lot area.
The client requested a kitchen that would be “the center of the family”. This was the most important aspect of the client’s residence, not only for the family, but also considering the fact that for many guests will be invited to the house. Therefore, throughout the planning, the functions of the entire building were arranged based on this idea.Furthermore, the building itself has a large single-sloping roof which covers these functions, aiming to create a residence that combines the kitchen centered idea and the roof shape into one.
Specifically, this kitchen is arranged in such a way that it overlooks the entire house, including the dining room, living room, terrace, entrance, and children’s rooms. As a result, the flow plan was simplified, and a continuous space with almost no pathways was created. In addition, except for the bathroom, almost all the rooms have sloped ceilings that take advantage of the shape of the roof. When the sliding doors to each room are opened, the design was executed so the ceilings of each room flow continuously, so that the entire space can feel the grandeur of the roof.
Another feature of the plan is the two-layered living room. The client’s previous residence had a compact living space, which they liked. In this project, the ceiling height is nearly 4 meters at its highest point, and a two-level living space was planned with a library containing books for the couple and their children, and a sofa space with a TV. This makes the living room an open yet semi-private space, and on the lower level by keeping the floor height lower than the kitchen, a calm relaxing space was created. The materials used in the residence include plaster for the kitchen and fireplace finishes. This was combined with white walls and wood furniture to create a composition with just the right amount of warmth.
When the large sliding door facing the kitchen, the center of the family, is opened, it can be used as one large room to the terrace facing the garden. The entire house maintains an open feeling while necessary functions of the house are set up as individual rooms, creating a continuous and open atmosphere that makes the most of the advantages of a single-story house.
Type of Project: Newly build
Use: House
Period: Jul 2019 – Aug 2021
Structure: Wood frame
Scale: 1 Story
Building Area: 136.6m2
Floor Area: 148.9m2
Site area: 457.7m2
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Design: Koichi Futatsumata, Yuki Onita(CASE-REAL)
Design Cooperation, Construction: Yoshida building firm
Lighting Plan: Tatsuki Nakamura (BRANCH LIGHTING DESIGN)
Planting Plan: Yuko Takaura(GREENETTA)
Photo: Daisuke Shima