Koro House by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates
This minimalist single family residence recently designed by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates is situated in the Japanese city of Toyota.
Description by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates
Scenery of a residential area
Location of the project is a residential area which is everywhere in Japan. This area was a forest in the past but it was developed into residential area. In this area that became the deserted scenery about ten several years passed, rebuilding is performed in recent years. I regarded this situation as a good opportunity and suggested the way of the residential area for the future.
Garden as the Scenery of a residential area
There is the site in the corner lot. And it faces two roads. Therefore I located a house in the depths of the site and made buffer space between the house and streets. Furthermore, I did not make the fence at border line of lot and planting trees on the whole site and opened the garden for streets. In the garden design, in order to close to the scenery of the forest before the residential land development, I used river stones and wild cherry blossoms which it was on the mountain just before construction. This project made scenery which a forest come back.. Because of site planning and garden design born margin space for the residential area and make expansive street
Characteristic of the site
I had a good view of the sky over neighboring houses because the premise was a corner lot as well as a gentle slope toward south. The premise was also receiving sunlight all day. This is a fortunate condition rarely found in residential areas, and I thought that the broad view toward the sky and the sense of transition of the sun along the road of natural light will be a key to build a house here.
Intention of the planning
The plane is a polygon for two reasons. The first reason is that various elements ( family garden and small private garden and laundry garden and approach and parking ) required for the premise are gently separated by the house. The second reason is that transition of the sun is reflected in the room multilaterally. The number of sides is six, which was decided according to the uses required for the garden and the study of each interior room. The outer shape of the hexagon has the same shapes with nesting structures, and the periphery is surrounded by a water section and a bedroom, and a family space is located in the center. The traffic line expands into every room through the family space in the center.
The delicate transition of light reservoir
I proposed a plan that we space the roof from the exterior wall to take in the view of the sky and natural light from the whole circumference of the house.
A light reservoir made of wooden vertical lattice has been planning as a medium that reflects the transition of natural light. Also, the delicate transition of the sun reflected on the wooden vertical lattice let inhabitants feel the riches and flux of time, and stirs their Japanese sensitivities. The light reservoir coloring the time gently separates the whole space as well as functions as a connection between the insides and outsides of the nested spaces.
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- by Matt Watts
