INANAMI HOUSE
A residence for a couple who love surfing and their three children. Located near Tsurigasaki Beach, the surfing venue for the Tokyo Olympics, the surrounding area is dotted with traditional Japanese houses (kominka), while a vast rural landscape spreads to the south of the site.
The way the rice field undulate in the wind, occasionally forming large swells, is somewhat reminiscent of the open ocean. The project began with a vision for a home where the time the family spends together by the ocean and their daily life colored by the rice field overlap in their memories as a single, unified experience.
Our first consideration was how to create a sense of openness—a visual and spatial "void"—so that the building would not sever the connection between the northern approach to the ocean and the southern landscape. We designed a semi-outdoor space running north-to-south between the Residence and the Barn, allowing the family to prepare for and clean up after surfing in this transitional area that seamlessly connects to the outdoors. Upon returning home, one can look straight through from the front porch, past the entrance glass, and across the living room to the southern landscape.
Two spatial "voids" also exist in the east-west direction. The corridor traversing the building serves as the keystone of both a clear zoning plan and an open spatial configuration where the family's presence is always felt. Also, when the playroom doors are left open, the space seamlessly connects from the open kitchen all the way to the "Surf Lab" in the Barn on the opposite side.
Altogether, these four axes create an open circulating space that is enjoyable for the children, while guiding the line of sight to create a sense of spatial depth. To respond to the family's desire to "feel as if we are outside even when inside," the design offers various unobstructed views, while allowing pleasant breezes to sweep through freely in all directions.
The Alley, a flexible semi-outdoor area situated between the Residence and Surf Barn, serves as a hub for surfing-related activities – from preparation and cleanup to board maintenance. Designed as a breathing space where pleasant breezes flow through, the landscape captured by the architecture welcome the family upon their return.
A view of the living room from in front of the entrance. Structural elements such as columns, beams, and rafters emphasize the perspective, guiding the eye toward the landscape.
Designed as a small stage, the playroom features an elevated floor that aligns the eye levels of playing children with those of adults relaxing in the living room. An engawa bench projects into the living area, gently connecting the two spaces.
By terminating the peak of the first-floor roof at the lower wall of the second-floor, the second-floor volume appears embedded within the roof. On the north elevation, the roof breaks up the two-story exterior wall, lowering the building's visual weight to mitigate its impact on the surroundings.