tezuka architects: house of ship

takaharu and yui tezuka of tokyo-based tezuka architects have shared with us their most recent resident project in japan called, ‘house of ship’. featuring a wraparound balcony clad in panels of charred timber, the design was largely influenced by the aesthetic and form of 17th century battleships.

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA (also main image) all images courtesy tezuka architects and katsuhisa kida

the site is an oblong, sliver-shaped plot which sits on the edge of a reinforced stone wall. negotiating the level changes of the hilly residential area, ‘house of ship’ hugs the edge of the curved wall, mirroring the nature of the winding street below. both levels of the two-storey dwelling feature floor-to-ceiling glazing to provide a panoramic view of the pacific ocean to the south. a large section of the second story living/dining area can be opened up to the exterior through sliding glass doors.

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

the armor-like wraparound balcony seemingly floats in between the largely transparent living spaces. by setting the second-storey volume slightly inwards from the rest of the house, the balcony space acts as an intermediate space, providing the inhabitants with privacy and protection from the elements.

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

image © katsuhisa kida / FOTOTECA

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