Japanese architecture studio Archipatch has completed a house in the seaside city of Kagoshima that is built from timber and features a material palette chosen to complement its natural surroundings.
Tokyo-based Archipatch designed the Tsumugu house as a case study for local house builder Shichiro Construction, which wanted to utilise timber sourced from the Kyushu island where the company is based.
Archipatch made the Tsumugu house from locally sourced timber
The single-storey property was built to accommodate a family of four and aims to demonstrate how timber construction can be used to create comfortable and versatile living spaces.
"The house is designed to connect with nature," said Archipatch, "and to realise a comfortable lifestyle in harmony with the ever-changing natural environment." The rooms of the house are spread across a single storey
In response to shifting domestic habits in Japan following the coronavirus pandemic, the building provides a variety of flexible spaces that allow the occupants to work and socialise at home.
The house comprises three interconnected volumes that are distinguished externally and internally by their different roof heights.
Large overhanging eaves provide shading in the garden
The building was constructed with a wooden framework that is left exposed internally. Wood is also used extensively for cladding the walls and ceilings, with other natural materials chosen to complement the timber.
"The exterior and ...