‘sky catcher house’ by kazuhiko kishimoto / acca, atsugi, kanagawa, japan image © hiroshi ueda
the ‘sky catcher house’ by japanese architect kazuhiko kishimoto of acca is immersed within atsugi, a typical residential suburb in the kanagawa prefecture of japan. encompassed by a collection of one and two storey structures, the dwelling’s square footprint and simple windowless elevations conceal any hint of the interior arrangement from onlookers. upon passing through the lattice door at the main entry, inhabitants are welcomed with an open courtyard bordered by living spaces enclosed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. the wooden planks which wrapped the exterior facade are continued on the ground plane. trees emerge from the floor through circular voidsto mark a path as well as create a garden setting.
the placement of rooms aims to achieve a long and linear circulation around the court. the bedrooms and living rooms are adjacent to the veranda and are only accessible from the outdoors. traditionally, outdoor corridors are essential to maintain a connection with all four seasons, offering dwellers a pleasant change from the static internal environment. staying true to the name of the home, the height of the roof is kept to a minimum to maximize views to the sky from the interior.
aerial view image © hiroshi ueda
main entry image © hiroshi ueda
(left) lattice door open (right) trees emerge form the wooden plank floor images © hiroshi ueda
aerial view of courtyard image © hiroshi ueda
trees emerge from circular voids image © hiroshi ueda
(left) central courtyard and trees (right) dining area images © hiroshi ueda
view towards main entrance image © hiroshi ueda
lattice door closed image © hiroshi ueda
lattice door open to reveal japanese-style room image © hiroshi ueda
approach to kitchen image © hiroshi ueda
kitchen image © hiroshi ueda
kitchen image © hiroshi ueda
view from dining area image © hiroshi ueda
at dusk image © hiroshi ueda
image © hiroshi ueda
image © hiroshi ueda
aerial view of courtyard at night image © hiroshi ueda
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level 1
section
section
elevation
project info:
location: atsugi, kanagawa date of completion: april 2012 principal use: private house structure: wood site area: 198.5m2 total floor area: 105.4m2 photography: hiroshi ueda
