The building is located in the quiet villa area at the foot of a mount Daisen. This mountain is crowded with skiers in the winter and climbers in the summer. In the project, we aimed to house that makes the inhabitant feel familiar to nature within the interiors. The two story building is designed like a shed, carefully placed in position to avoid cutting down any existing trees. The outer surface of the building is wrapped up by sliding screens containing slits of glass. The interior area is surrounded intermediate space. The reflection of trees in glass surface integrates the building a part of landscape.
Like Shoji, the sliding screen, easily opened or closed to fit with the external environment, prevent any light blockage and illuminate the interior space. They can be easily adjusted in relationship between inside and outside, as changing clothing. On the inside, of the sliding screen made of the slit glass and black cedar board. The sliding doors are created with double-glazed glass. The intermediate space, an air layer, protects the inside.
By wrapping up with sliding screen, intermediate space appeared on the inside of it. The spatial construction of this building is designed to use Engawa (Japanese traditional space) as reference. This empty space, placed on the boundary between interior and exterior, allow the building connect to with the nature. Ambiguous space that becomes buffer zone, keep inside space calm and comfortable. They serves to block the heat and cold prevent any loss of warmth in between the floor heating and the wood-burning stove.
In the summer, if sliding screens are opened, the boundary of inside and outside become invisible, disappearing so the inhabitant can feel closer to nature within the built environment. In the winter, even if moderately cold, the sliding screens are opened, the interior space is wrapped up with the inside screen of wooden sash and double glazed glass to keep a good comfort level. When cold is severe, closing the sliding screen ensures warmth. Independently, the natural light passes through a slit of sliding screen.
