The site is located in a middle-mountainous area with a 4-meter elevation difference on the boundary between a mountain forest and a residential area. The challenge was to create a lifestyle connected to nature while overcoming the problems of the sloping terrain at the site. To meet this challenge, we considered architecture and landscape as an integral part of the project, and planned a house that follows the topography while minimizing civil engineering construction. The cross-sectional configuration connects the difference in elevation from the ground level to the upper elevation with four floor levels configured in accordance with the natural topography of the site. By taking advantage of the sloping site, burying part of the foundation underground, and erecting the roof along the slope of the site, we aimed for a natural appearance without destroying the existing forest landscape.
The project site belongs to a semi-urban planning area that stretches along the upper reaches of the Naka River, which flows through Nakagawa city into Hakata Bay. The site is a picturesque village mountain area sandwiched between a river and mountains, but there is no view of the mountain range from the ground level. The client couples were looking for a site where they could enjoy the abundant nature, and we considered architectural techniques that would bring out the potential of the site, we decided on a diagonally ascending spatial structure with a wooden frame on a four-tiered RC foundation. We planned different landscapes at each height, from the uppermost floor level, which was determined to be at a height that would provide a view of the Naka River and the mountains Joyama and Yadake that lie beyond, to the lowest level, which provides access to the garden and fields on the flat land.
The floor plan is divided into sections every 3.5 ken (6.4m) according to the level difference of the cross section, and three spot-garden-like outdoor spaces are inserted to secure sunlight in an environment surrounded by tall trees, while at the same time incorporating a private, small natural environment into the living space. By creating such an intermediate area, we ensured the privacy of the low-rise area, and also controlled the sometimes harsh mountain wind and rain, so that immigrants like the client couple could feel safe and close to nature. We wondered if we could contribute to community development by proposing a residence in a mid-mountainous area, where the population gap with the urban area is widening, by incorporating into the living space the locational characteristics of the mountains, which vary by direction and elevation.