In search of an alternative Japanese house type in urban density

This detached house represents contemporary Japanese urban dwelling, while employing conventional wooden frame construction and reinterpreting traditional typology of Townhouse(Machiya) and Farm house(Nōka) of the region.

Located in a residential area near the center of Kurume City in the south region of Japan, the site has an area of less than 200m2, which is the result of subdivisions to sell the overpriced land, a situation that is common in Japan today.

Because of the close proximity to the neighbors, houses on such narrow sites tend to be too exposed and thus the curtains remain closed, or planed too introverted with few and small windows. Still we pursued here discreet openness, by controlling the sizes and positions of openings carefully. 

The rooms are placed on the west side of the site and the garden and balcony on the east side. The wood structure covers both the interior and the exterior and regulates openings and screens.

The plan configuration follows the traditional manner of dividing a rectangle into rooms by the Japanese measuring system. The plan consists of 9 squares of 9-japanese-foot in length inside and 6 more squares outside. By raising the main living space to the upper floors, spacious, well-lit rooms with privacy and continuous exterior space with a mountainous backdrop are achieved. It also reduces damage in flooding from the Chikugo River, which is 500 m away. The large high window on the south lets warm sunlight in the winter while the eave prevent it in the summer.

The silver panels on the facade bring a lightness to the exterior, reflecting the greenery of the garden and the changing colours of the sunlight, as well as harmonizing with the industrial Kurume cityscape.