mA-style extends a rural japanese home for a young couple

mA-style extends a rural japanese home for a young couple
image © kai nakamura
all images courtesy of mA-style architects

tokyo-based architecture firm mA-style architects extends a typical rural japanese residence to create a separate home for a young couple. ‘koya no sumika’ is designed for the clients to have their own space for sleeping and spending quiet time, while the kitchen, bathroom, main hosting space and children’s bedrooms remain shared with the main house, reinforcing strong ties to the family. the construction is a single enfilade with a V-beam roof truss that adds height to the single story plan. the structure is composed of sandwiched plywood on 62 mm panels layeres with a thin roof on top. the edges overhang the bearing walls, providing a grand scale to the addition. inside, the high peaked roof allows abundant light and air to enter the dwelling. below, study areas and other programs are built into the plan with a variety of finishes that add a rhythm of contrast through the open space. the two parts of the complex are connected by a corridor on the west side, but separated by a garden in the middle. this distance allows the couple to contemplate the role of the two parts of the home, and mentally prepare to switch between them. 

(left): a garden provides distance between the family home and the couple’s extension
(right): a corridor at the west side of the existing house connects the two buildings
images © kai nakamura

simple living spaces are finished in white — a clean palette for the young couple’s creativity
image © kai nakamura

the extension is designed as a single open plan space
image © kai nakamura

main living spaces for hosting occupy the original residence
image © kai nakamura

view from the loft
image © kai nakamura

(left): the facade during the day
(right): at night, the space is legible from outside
image © kai nakamura

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project info:

architecture : atsushi kawamoto + mayumi kawamoto
photography : kai nakamura
location : yaizu –city shizuoka japan
date of completion : june 2013
principal use : residence
structure : built of wood
site area : 778.38m2
total floor area : 82.55m2 (65.99m2/1f, 16.56m2/2f)
structural engineer : daisuke hasegawa
material information :
exterior finish : resin mortar
floor : trowel concrete , japanese cedar flooring
wall : plasterboard t=12.5 acrylic emulsion paint
ceiling : plasterboard t=9.5 acrylic emulsion paint