3645 Minami Hara
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At a glance
- Project by: Dasic Architects
- Location: Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan
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© Dasic Architects
Project images
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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3645 Minami Hara © Dasic Architects View project image |
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Model © Dasic Architects View project image |
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Plan © Dasic Architects View project image |
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Sections © Dasic Architects View project image |
Architect's statement
Design Concept
The site is located in the wooded area of Karuizawa resort town 150km away from Tokyo. It is part of the development consisting of 5 villas, each designed by different architect. The mountainous area has cool climate in summer and cold sharp winters. There is lots of rain in the summer but winters tend to be dry without much snowfall. Humidity and condensation are important factors.
Our design concept is based on the following principles:
Response to the Site and the Surrounding Nature
House is build on the top of the hill with each room taking advantage of the best views and orientation:
- Living Space – West / South (intake of afternoon sun); looking towards unspoiled forest area
- Master Bedroom and Main Deck – East / South / West (intake of all day sun)
- Bedrooms and Bathrooms – East (morning sun intake)
- Auxiliary Spaces – North (acting as a buffer from the north cold air as well as neighboring buildings)
Sculptural, Geometrical Forms
Intention was to design a "sculptural object" which will stands as a counter balance against the backdrop of natural green forest and blue sky.
Space Flexibility and Fluidity / Parametric Layout
The overall space is designed as a fully fluid environment allowing for a sense of openness, lightness and easy movement. Particular design driver was the fact that this is spec development, which will go on sale upon the completion and as such without actual owner.
The response was to design extremely flexible space using system of movable (sliding and rotating) walls allowing the space to be divided and reconfigured in number of different ways catering for variety of potential needs, life styles and family configurations. The bedrooms can be configured as: one large room; or two, three or four separate rooms.
Transparency
We saw this building being used as an escape place from the busy streets of Tokyo. As such intention was to create space where one will be constantly aware of the nature surrounding the site. At the same time it would make the building extremely transparent "merging" it with the surrounding forest, while the special site positioning would preserve sense of privacy from the other four buildings within the development.
Building Methods and Tools
Traditional Japanese methods are used to: Merge feeling of IN and OUT spaces; Control the views; Allow for Engawas and decks in front of every room; create flexible internal configuration using sliding walls; Achieve "Corner" configurations (reminiscent of Katsura Palace).
The main material used to clad both interior and exterior of the building is cheep and readily available Shina-gohan panels that are usually used as an insulation material. In order to protect from the wet and cold Karuizawa climate layer of FRP skin has sealed of all of the exposed panels creating weather resistant and durable surface as well as shimmering, sublime surface.
Sustainability and Environment – natural sunlight intake
Karuizawa planning law, amended in 2007 call ed for every new building to follow set of "aesthetic" rules including sloped roof with eaves. Instead of following the rule with the classical response we decided to use it as a vehicle to create naturally cooled, aired and heated environment with full intake of natural light.
We created a set of s lopped roofs above each space or set of rooms. The one-slope roofs created openable windows, which were orientate always in the opposite side of the main, full height windows. As a result each space had ability to take advantage of both morning and afternoon sunlight depending on their function:
Living and Dining room – have main window looking West allowing for afternoon sunlight intake while the slope roof window looking East will bring morning sun in to the space (kitchen and dining are in particular).
Bedrooms and Bathrooms have main window looking East allowing for morning sunlight intake while the slope roof window looking West will bring gentle afternoon sun.
Auxiliary rooms and storages – are located on the North, which is without windows to protect both the content of the room as well as views from the neighbors, but the sloped roof window is looking South allowing for the all day natural sunlight intake.
Sustainability and Environment - air exchange
Second role of the shape and positions of the roofs is to allow for the natural air exchange and cooling in the summer (building does not have mechanical air-conditioning). Sloped roof and raised part will act as a "funnel" during summer months collecting warm air and releasing it outside allowing for the constant air flow.
Furthermore whole structure is elevated from t he ground allowing for the under floor air circulation assisting with mold prevention which is ever present problem with Karuizawa climate.
Wood fed iron stove positioned in the center of the structure will further help during the cold months.
Barrier-free Access to every room and space
From the very beginning we decided to design e d house, which will have only one level. One reason was desire to have user feel full and constant "connection" to the surrounding nature which would be "dislocated" in case of adding upper floors.
The second reason was desire to create a space, which will not have any built-in barriers for anybody who would have difficulties overcoming them (small children, disabled, elderly, people carrying or pulling heavy luggage, etc).
As such, from the moment one leaves the car on the car parking down bellow the house, up to any room in the house, there is no t a single stair along the way.
Dancing rain windows
The plan and the roof configuration positions one of the main windows on each side as a direct "slide" of the roof sloped plane. This results in the rain "cascading" down the "exposed" window creating a "texture" of dancing water cascade. That impression is multiplied by the position of the other windows, which are protected by eaves and as such remain dry.
Finishes
- Structure: Concrete Base + Steel Structure
- Roof: Corrugated Metal Waterproofing Sheet
- Exterior wall: Shina-Gohan panels sealed with FRP coat; Double-glazed glass + Lumisty film
- Deck: Seran-gambatsu wood deck
- Floors: Birch Sakura Flooring; Ceramic Tiles; Troweled Concrete
- Walls: Shina Gohan panels; Acrylic Emulsion Paint; Ceramic Tiles
- Ceilings: Shina-Gohan panels; Acrylic Emulsion Paint
Details/Credits
- Location: Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan
- Site area: 1953.22 m2 / 591.8 tsubo
- Building area: 240.30 m2 / 72.8 tsubo
- Floor area: 196.74 m2 / 59.6 tsubo
- Design: May 2007 - October 2007
- Construction: November 2007 - July 2008
- George Dasic Architects team: George Dasic - principal; Yushi Kobayashi - project architect Yuki Miyoshi Nikitaki; Toru Usui; Tamaki Suzuki
- Structure: Arup Japan (Kazuyuki Ohara – structural engineer)
- Client: Kasumigaseki Toshikaihatsu, LLC
- Construction: Sasazawa Kensetsu (Masakatsu Tanaka – site manager)
- Photographs: Hiroyasu Sakaguchi AtoZ, Arrow Resort Corporation
