House in Yukinoshita

This is the architect’s own residence. It is located within a small community of just under 20 homes; the cul-de-sac-like layout of the neighborhood ensures a peaceful environment, as access is restricted to residents only.
A 6.9m × 6.9m square, two-story structure was placed at the center of the lot, designed to fit within the minimum setback requirements stipulated by the scenic district ordinance. The first floor is designed as a closed, highly private space. A central box containing storage and utility areas is flanked by a circulation layout where the entrance, bathroom, and bedroom flow seamlessly around it. On the second floor, a total of eight steel columns—two on each side—are positioned along the outer perimeter. The roof is suspended above the enclosed box on the first floor to create a distinct zone, aiming for a spacious, open-air atmosphere that seems to simply cover and envelop the local air. The interior contains absolutely no walls or columns, and even the refrigerator and kitchen exhaust fan are concealed beneath the floor to thoroughly eliminate any protrusions. The design intended to create a space that balances the sense of openness extending horizontally outward with a 1.6-meter-high eave, providing a reassuring feeling of being enveloped by the roof. Furthermore, due to the hilly terrain, there is a height difference from the surrounding area; lowering the eaves allows for evading the gaze of neighboring homes, making it possible to have a living space with glass walls on all sides.
I have always believed that I want to discover spaces rather than invent them. By sensing the atmosphere of this site through my own physical intuition and interpreting the demands of this hilly terrain, I believe I was able to discover the space that truly belongs here.