katsutoshi sasaki: ogaki house

ogaki house by katsutoshi sasaki + associates in gifu, japan images courtesy of katsutoshi sasaki + associates

japanese architecture studio, katsutoshi sasaki + associates have designed ‘ogaki house’ located in gifu, japan. the structure, which is a reflection of the surrounding mountainous landscape, was designed to consider both the conditions of the site and the local climate. during the winter months, the area experiences strong western winds which dictates the triangular structure, created to suppress the load of the building and fending off the cold winds. the long, sloping profile is only broken to accommodate japanese gardens and vegetation.

  exterior

in the heat of the summer seasons, the structure discharges retained heat from the interior to the exterior through the void of the inner courtyard which houses a tree that will substantially grow over time. principal living environments are located within the large triangular volume, close to the terraces, further connecting life to nature. interior spaces, situated based on their social importance within the home, open to the exterior on the east and west sides of the site only, controlling the heat penetration in the summer and heat loss in the winter.

exterior

intended as a way of encouraging communication between family members, the design carefully considers the location and intersections of space. the second floor is left open so that the children share the space, and the open slats between levels allow the voices of family members to travel freely throughout the home.

interior

interior

upper level lounge and bedroom

upper level bedroom

bathroom

site map

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

section / summer

south elevation / winter