FIVE ELEMENTS HOUSE

House, 2006
Technical data: floor area 65 square meters, single story wooden structure
Project description: Centennial Anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright visit in Japan, Residence Design Competition 2005, recognition of "Outstanding Achievement"

■　Sky, wind, fire, water, earth
■　Organic architecture: place and time, human scale
This is a 700 sqft. wood house to be placed on the 40'x65' lot in the suburbs. The intention is to make a house as the device to capture the moment that happens at not special but memorable place and time of daily life. The form and function were determined in order to provide information about subtle changes of days and seasons for the enjoyment of the life. The three-foot wide corridors with the curtain walls of uniform sliding doors surround and connect rooms that are sized just to be sufficient for 2 to 3 dwellers' daily activities. The rainwater fell on the roof goes to the basin put in the garden following the curved surface of the roof and the chains. The saved water will be used for plants in the garden, and the sound and the scene of the water running into the basin will be pleasing. The structure is the combination of the solid wood post and beam frame and a sort of laminated wood shell frame as roof with its both ends directly connected to the ground. The surface of structural parts in the interior space will be revealed to show the beauty of the wood grains. The corridor has under-floor storage spaces with hatches for the efficient use of space and energy (the under-floor space likely provide more stable climate than on-floor storage) and more importantly to provide open horizontal views.

■　空・風・火・水・地
■　有機的建築：　場所と時間、ヒューマンスケール
床面積65㎡の木造住宅で、郊外に想定した12x20mの敷地にたちます。四季の移り変わりによる一寸した自然の変化や、日々の暮らしの何気ない楽しさが感じられるような装置として設計しました。90センチ幅の廊下が、2～3人程度の暮らしに必要十分な大きさである各部屋をぐるりと取巻いています。全面引戸になっていて、どこからでも出入できます。雨水は屋根の勾配に沿って流れ、鎖を伝って、庭に置いた水がめに至り、庭の植木になどに使われます。流れる水の音や眺めを楽しむことができます。構造は木造柱梁構造の上に、一種の木造シェルの屋根がのり、両端は地面に?がります。内部に面した構造材には仕上げをせず、木目の美しさを表現します。廊下には床下収納を設け、空間の効率的利用を図ると共に、水平に広がる視界を確保します。