small courtyard illuminates 70-year-old japanese house in odawara

70-year-old Japanese-style house renovation in Odawara

Masaharu Nagamine undertook the transformation of a 70-year-old Japanese-style house in Odawara, Japan, nestled near a mountain pass and surrounded by fields. The property was chosen by a couple who were attracted to its charm and the peacefulness of its Japanese garden. However, they faced a challenge with the living and dining areas on the northern side feeling dim and closed-off compared to the bright, sunlit Japanese-style room on the southern side. To address this issue, the architects decided to tear down a section of the northwest side of the house, creating a small courtyard to bring in more light and nature. 

Japanese-style gate, all images by  Masaharu Nagamine

Creating an Open and Active Living Space

The dining room was then repositioned to overlook this newly created courtyard, and the partition between the dining room and the Japanese-style room was removed to create a more open and spacious feel, allowing views of the garden. Moreover, considering the couple’s passion for road biking, the team at Masaharu Nagamine repurposed one of the traditional Japanese rooms into a bike-training room with hardwood flooring replacing tatami mats. Adjacent to the courtyard, a designated space was also set aside for bicycles, ensuring a harmonious coexistence between exercise and leisure. These modifications have now become part of the couple’s daily routine, as they spend about an hour indoor biking for exercise after finishing their remote work.

view of the south side exterior from Japanese garden

one of the traditional Japanese rooms was transformed into a bike-training room, replacing tatami mats with hardwood flooring

creating a serene courtyard in the heart of the home

view of dining and courtyard from japanese-style room

dining room opens up to Japanese garden views

a small courtyard with a sense of light and nature

custom bike-training room for active living

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project info:

name: 70 years old Japanese – style house with bicycles
designer: Masaharu Nagamine | @masaharu_nagamine

location: Odawara, Japan

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edited by: christina petridou | designboom