Japan Houzz: A Curvaceous Home & Workshop for an Odd-Shaped Site
This 40-metre-long home and atelier in Japan was built to maximise privacy and create a fun experience
Hiroki Ogawa is a designer and leatherworker from Fukutsu, a city on the west coast of Japan, who creates his own brand of bags and other leather goods. He and his wife, Risa, decided to move back to his hometown to live and raise their child close to Hiroki’s parents.
The Ogawas built their new home, completed in May 2020, on a plot inherited from grandparents. The land has an odd shape, as though someone had blindly pushed together two rectangular lots. It stretches 40 metres from north to south, over a fairly steep 1.2-metre increase in elevation.
Searching for an architectural firm online, the Ogawas came across Class Archi, a design studio in the prefecture headed by Takahiro Nitta.
Ready to renovate? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Ready to renovate? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Embarking on the project, Nitta handed them a 21-page ‘questionnaire for private homeowners’. Besides the usual inquiries about the make-up of their family, it included more than 200 questions on everything from the couple’s favourite season, to their favourite time of day, lighting, nature sounds and even questions on what has deeply impressed them before or what they particularly remember about their previous homes.
“Understanding the future owners’ way of life is crucial to building a house,” says Nitta. “To get a glimpse of that, I’ve been asking my clients to fill out this – admittedly lengthy – questionnaire since opening my studio.” Nitta then studies the answers and converts them into a one-page schematic. This process allows both parties to clarify what matters most for the project.
The architect tells us that the home’s serpentine shape was a natural result of the peculiarities of the site. Located near an old shopping street, it belongs to a so-called ‘quasi-fire-prevention district’. The curved shape accommodates the fire code’s stipulation that neighbouring buildings in these areas be separated by at least three metres, or five on the first floor.
The initial plan for the home ended up being very close to the final design.
The initial plan for the home ended up being very close to the final design.
One unusual aspect of the design is that Hiroki’s leather workshop is located at the back, rather than facing the busy street. Nitta placed the living area near the street and the workshop in the elevated part of the house. “Why not take advantage of the elongated lot and make it so that you’d have to walk through it to reach the atelier?” says Nitta. “It is more fun that way.”
A walkway that runs alongside the lot dives into a tunnel, which separates the living area and the workshop near the start of the slope. The path then continues up a staircase to the workshop.
A walkway that runs alongside the lot dives into a tunnel, which separates the living area and the workshop near the start of the slope. The path then continues up a staircase to the workshop.
Viewed from the street, the facade is quite impressive: an imposing 3.15-metre-wide white wall rising straight toward the sky.
As the house to the east was going to end up far too close to the Ogawas’ windows for comfort, no matter how they shaped the structure, the design incorporated an extra rounded wall to obstruct the line of sight between the interiors of the two homes. This way the resulting courtyard is also cut off from view of the road, ensuring privacy. A large door brings light and air into the living area.
The living area feels distinctly open. To make this possible, the house utilises what Nitta terms the ‘home connector method’, which uses anchor bolts secured with adhesive resin injections to join wooden elements. The architect says that this makes it possible to create free-flowing shapes, even out of wood.
“I find our living and dining area very nice,” says Risa. “I like spending my free time there, watching things on our projector on the wall beside the kitchen.”
The staircase was straight in the initial plan, but Nitta eventually opted for a spiral stair to allow for a larger living area. In order to match the curvature of the building, the plywood covering the floor was cut into trapezoid shapes and fitted together carefully.
The staircase was straight in the initial plan, but Nitta eventually opted for a spiral stair to allow for a larger living area. In order to match the curvature of the building, the plywood covering the floor was cut into trapezoid shapes and fitted together carefully.
The minimalist white kitchen is from Sanwa Company in Japan.
Browse more contemporary kitchens for inspiration
Browse more contemporary kitchens for inspiration
The main bedroom and nursery are located on the first floor across the hallway leading from the atrium that rises above the kitchen.
“I originally wanted a single-storey house, and even though this is technically two storeys, it still feels like one,” says Risa.
“I originally wanted a single-storey house, and even though this is technically two storeys, it still feels like one,” says Risa.
The workshop for Hiroki’s brand of leather goods, Affordance, is located in what amounts to an independent building, connected to the main home by a tunnel.
The workshop houses equipment for leather working and a massive workbench. “It’s nice that the two sides of the tunnel have opposing windows, so that I know my family is nearby while I’m in the studio,” says Hiroki.
The atelier opens to the outside, and handmade bags and other leather accessories are displayed on the shelves within.
Many people visit the workshop, drawn in by the home’s unique design.
And perhaps the best praise for the home? The couple told us that it made lockdown a lot less stressful.
Your turn
Which elements of this design do you like the most? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, like it, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Craving more distinctive home design? Don’t miss this Mumbai Houzz: A Daughter’s Reimagining of a Childhood Home
And perhaps the best praise for the home? The couple told us that it made lockdown a lot less stressful.
Your turn
Which elements of this design do you like the most? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, like it, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Craving more distinctive home design? Don’t miss this Mumbai Houzz: A Daughter’s Reimagining of a Childhood Home
House at a Glance
Location: Fukutsu City, Japan
Who lives here: Hiroki and Risa Ogawa, their six-year-old child and two cats
Site area: 403 square metres
Building area: 89 square metres
Total floor area: 121 square metres across two storeys
Design: Class Archi
Construction: Sawayaka Construction