Archivi Architects & Associates of Osaka have completed a private house in Wakaura bay, near Wakayama city in Japan.

The wooden house is built around two small courtyard gardens.

Materials include local cedar and cypress with internal surfaces made of plywood.

Here's some more information from Archivi Architects & Associates:

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House in Wakaura

The site is in the residential quarter that extends to the foot in the [Mt. Akibasan] park located in the east part of the Wakaura bay, Wakayama City. (Wakaura bay: It is one of the eminent scenic sites also in Japan.) In this park, it is assumed that it enjoyed that people in neighboring districts gather for a long time.

The shape of site is transformed into the gibbosity. A settled residence space locates it in this projecting part. It becomes possible for a big garden to appear at the center of a narrow site in doing so, and to supply to both residence spaces as a garden that can be opposite to green, light, and the style of nature.

In addition, it is promoted that nature is naturally taken into all the life scenes by two residence spaces' tying in the corridor of the openhearted glass (Cross this courtyard).

The spectacle where still excellent natural environment (plum orchard, stroll road, and plaza, etc.) and the Wakaura bays can Abe commanded remains here.

In the site planning of this construction, how the spectacle such as the middle-distance views ([Mt.akibasan] park for the east) and distant views (urban area where the Wakaura bay sees fireworks of summer in the northwest for the south) can be acquired to the living space in daily life securing privacy is a theme.

The shape of site is transformed into the gibbosity. A settled residence space locates it in this projecting part. It becomes possible for a big garden to appear at the center of a narrow site in doing so, and to supply to both residence spaces as a garden that can be opposite to green, light, and the style of nature.

In addition, it is promoted that nature is naturally taken into all the life scenes by two residence spaces' tying in the corridor of the openhearted glass (Cross this courtyard).

The corridor of this glass has added the function of the gallery to exhibit deceased grandfather's collection. Moreover, the deck of five totals was planned to all floors as beginning to continue the inside and the outside. This deck begins to splash in various directions as an extension of the floor compared with the courtyard and the spectacle. Therefore, living spaces have been linked by various scenes without without shutting to the outside and dividing into parts an upper and lower floor mutually.

The Japan cedar from Kumano and the Japanese cypress are used for the main structure material, the floor material, the siding, and the lattice material. (Kumano Japan cedar: It is one of the eminent Japan cedar brands also in Japan.)To use the material grown in the climate in this land for the root construction where it sits in this land is to evolve construction to the sustainable one.

Moreover, the ceiling and the surface material in the inner wall use all the lauan plywoods of the wood system. The Detail is finished up in the design that exposes all structures "Sinkabe form" multiused to the construction of the tradition of Japan. This construction aims at the wood space with very high purity and accuracy by following a climate in Japan and carpenter's traditional technology.

Photographs by Yutaka Kimumaki