House in Tokiwa

The area surrounding the site features building setbacks and landscaping in accordance with the scenic district regulations, and public spaces such as sidewalks and parks have also been landscaped, creating a mature streetscape.

Living in this environment, where one can deeply experience the atmosphere of greenery that permeates the entire area, promises a rich and fulfilling life. Furthermore, we hoped that by adopting a mutually beneficial architectural approach—one that not only enjoys the local greenery but also contributes to the community—we could help shape the streetscape for future generations.

Therefore, we planned a single-story structure that extends across the entire site, allowing residents to naturally feel this sense of greenery in their daily lives. In the center of the site, we placed a courtyard approximately the same size as the interior to avoid creating a hierarchical relationship between indoors and outdoors. By offsetting the residential units surrounding the courtyard, we enhanced the organic unity between the interior and exterior.

Furthermore, we created recesses along the perimeter of the site and placed small gardens there to serve as points of contact with the surroundings. We named these “entrance gardens,” envisioning them as spaces where the surrounding atmosphere flows into the site and intertwines organically.

The greenery of the “entering gardens” merges with the surrounding greenery to form a layer of greenery. While maintaining a moderate level of privacy for each other, they act as a filter that projects activities within the site out into the neighborhood. Through these multiple gardens, the interiors and exteriors of the residences, as well as the boundaries between the site and the surrounding area, gently blend together.

We hope that a rich lifestyle, characterized by a unified atmosphere, will be expressed through these “entering gardens,” thereby lending a rich character to the streetscape.