*[ tato architects ] house in ishikiri

yo shimada/tato architects have merged ‘house in ishikiri’ into a residential area erected in 1930 that slopes to the west on the hillside of mount ikoma, overlooking osaka plain. the challenge in developing this dwelling was trying to create a contemporary structure that would coordinate with its historic surroundings.

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project: house in ishikiri
location of site: osaka, japan
site area: 233.32m2
building area: 61.37m2
total floor area: 99.38m2
type of construction: steel
program: house
project by: tato architects(yo shimada)
principal designer: yo shimada
design period: march 2010 – april 2012
construction period: july 2012 – january 2013
garden designer: coca-z(tatsuya kokaji)
structural engineer: s3 associates inc.(ichiro hashimoto)
textile designer: akane moriyama

the firm tackled the programs of the dwelling individually, rendering each distinct geometric entity with a different material. at the base, ‘house in ishikiri’ is framed by a monolithic white grid that defines a garage and storage area, at the front access point. situated to the left is a small children’s room that is clad in steel plates–typically employed for creating temporary enclosures on construction sites in japan–and features a band of clerestory windows that run around the perimeter of the cube, adorned by colourful, transparent fabrics designed by akane moriyama, which emphasize its programmatic function as a play space.

a white high flat roof encloses the garage port space from above, while an open staircase leads upwards into the main living and dining areas which are positioned within a rectangular framework of glass and cement panels that supports the uppermost storey–a black archetypal house volume that comprises the sleeping quarters. a master bedroom is front facing, opening up onto a small deck, while a large void separates it from the guest room positioned at the back of the house, that is accessed by a ladder. positioned below are the kitchen and bathroom that are detached from the rest of the interior by a concrete wall and covered by a translucent lean-to roof.

from  designboom