level up! updating a japanese lake house for fun on every floor

sugawaradaisuke knew it was time for this old typology to level up. they set out to upgrade the typical japanese lake house into something truly refreshing and modern. the result of much research and thought, this retreat has fun on every level — and there are more levels then you’d think. in this two story home, titled ‘nojiri-ko nature platforms’ there are five platforms all with different sizes, heights, and materials. they each transform the mundane duties of a house beyond the pure functionality of architecture and furniture. a floor is not simply a floor nor a table simply a table. it all comes together to form a stage on which to act out one’s happy memories. what’s more, the platforms create different degrees of openness, thermal conditions and framed perspectives of the forest landscape.

all images by jérémie souteyrat

this lakeside cottage at nojiri-ko lake, whose landscape has been shared by nature and man for many centuries is changing. the relationship with nature is different in 2018, and this structure attempts to fascinate new meaning and usage. as the architects of sugawaradaisuke put it, ‘the design target is generating a new lifestyle in the midst of natural landscape by recomposing relationship between nature, building, objects and human beings.’ 

much like the wilderness surrounding it, this home shows elements of freedom. with an open grid structure, this house encourages the emerging architectural potential. it enhances lifestyle with concern for the daylight transition, the four seasons and its residents’ interests. the platforms reconstruct ‘horizontal building elements’ into one feature of nojiri-ko forest to generate diversity of places, activities and innovation in the nature for people. this project represents the opening of daily life to the scenery and the delight of nature and the transitions of time.

project info:

architect: SUGAWARADAISUKE architects inc. (daisuke sugawara, noriyuki ueakasaka, hiroyuki nakazawa)
structural design: TECTONICA INC. (yoshinori suzuki, hinako igarashi)
lighting design: toh design(aki hayakawa)
photo: jérémie souteyrat
constructor: mizuken inc.(kanji ohsaka)
location: nagano, japan
design period: jun. 2016 – may. 2017
construction period: jun. 2017 – dec. 2017