House Week #2
Comments: 3
Here’s a house that’s been around the block once or twice. Unfortunately it’s another one of those walled-off numbers. I did try to peek over the wall but it’s just too close to the house so I couldn’t get a shot.
This is a nice example of the modular nature of traditional houses, the base unit being an area roughly 6 feet by 3 (the inaka-ma or country style of tatami; the kyo-ma or city style is slightly smaller). You can sort of see how the ground floor kicks off in a fairly relaxed tempo while the second story doubles the beat. The shutters of the second floor (orange painted zinc in this case: the wooden cases hold the shutters when they’re open) provide a little syncopation depending on the weather and how much light you want to let in. Then the top of the second-storey wall restates the rhythm in no uncertain terms before letting the tips of the roof beams double it yet again as the whole thing is capped off with sen-gawara tiling.
Luckily there’s a parking lot immediately next to the house so we can get a reasonable view from the side. The house is occupied, but I’ve never once seen the top floor open. Maybe they like it dark up there.
You can see the layered roofing of the western extension of the house, but hidden behind the tree on the right is a single-storey southern extension that’s quite large (we’re looking east in the shot above). The two arms of the house enclose a beautiful garden that catches the maximum amount of light it can.
I absolutely love this house, but I wouldn’t want to live there. It’s on Setagaya Street, a major highway full of traffic at all hours. The building opposite is NHK’s new Technology Research Centre.
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Posted to Architecture • 2002.10.31 (Thu) • 23:22
Comments
Posted by tomas 2002.10.31, 23:53
Japan easily has the coolest architecture in the world. Yeah.
Posted by Shawn 2002.11.01, 02:01
Wow. Truly amazing. I'm one of those people that are utterly fascinated with all aspect of Japanese culture, but still haven't made it there.
Keep 'em coming.
Posted by Peter 2002.11.01, 11:21
Yes please, keep 'em coming! You prompted me to dip into Edward S Morse's "Japanese homes and their surroundings" again – always a pleasure.
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