ikeda yukie ono toshiharu architects' japanese house is defined by L-shaped walls

titled sequence of L walls, this house for a retired couple by ikeda yukie ono toshiharu architects has been designed to be open and public to the community that surrounds it. located in shimonoseki, yamaguchi, japan, the property is centered around the retired preschool teacher wife’s picture book collection, visible through a large sliding glass door; and around a simple hall, which the flute player husband utilizes together with a garden without walls that feels more like a park. to support this open lifestyle in the long term, the architects have also created several private spaces for the couple.

all images by koichi torimura

the property itself features a quiet bamboo grove and a stream to the north, and a sunny path in the south. to bring a feeling of abundance to the land, ikeda yukie ono toshiharu architects has built the residence as a multipurpose space that unfolds with a feeling of progression. L-shaped walls have been used to define different areas simply and shifted slightly to make crevices between them and thus create views. the functions were placed along the ridge of the roof so that privacy increases in the back, and openness increases in front.

acoustic requirements specified the gable roof, and under that to the left and right along the axis of the ridge, L walls overlap and provide a natural refuge. through the crevices between the L walls, light, wind, greenery and people come and go, supporting the couple’s new life, in tune with their surroundings.

project info:

name: sequence of L walls

architect: ikeda yukie ono toshiharu architects (former ikeda yukie architects)

location: shimonoseki, yamaguchi, japan

principal use: private residence

structure: wood

number of stories: 1

total floor area: 87 m2

structural design: ken.nagasaka engineering network

builder: tokimori kensetsu co.