house at niihama | Keikichi Yamauchi

This house is situated about 10 minutes walking distance from Niihama Station (JR Yosan Line) in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture. The site is surrounded by a supermarket parking operating till late at night, and a car repair factory. One can regard it as a desperate location for a house. In a typical design method, the building would be placed on the site first, and its composition would be determined by connecting each space with the surrounding environment. However, this building was designed conversely, by shutting off each space from the surrounding environment. As a result, the exterior view of the house evokes an image of a closed box.
The house has two enclosed gardens. One is a natural garden, and the other is an artificial garden. The interior space opens towards the artificial garden.
As a result, the interior space feels spacious despite its enclosed appearance.
Disconnecting is a way of relating space with the environment, as well as connecting. Following this logic, one can argue that this house was designed in a very conventional way.