Contemporary Japanese House Design by FT Architects
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Column and Slab
Photographs : Koichi Torimura
Like a Museum
“Column and slab” is our third residential work. Whilst the context is
similar to that of our previous two projects, “e-house” and “s-house”,
which were located amidst the densely built-up area of Tokyo, the form
and meaning of this house turned out to be something quite different.
The site, at 5m x 14m, is small and narrow even compared to its modest
neighbours. Furthermore, it is bounded on three sides by the adjacent
plots, leaving only the narrow frontage open to the road.
The main theme of the two previous works, was to deflect the effects
of urban density through the use of devices such as the free-form,
cranked screens. However, on such a tight site, it is not enough
merely to deal with the feeling of oppression brought about by the
dense surroundings. From the first time we saw the site, we had wanted
the house to evoke the historical form/typology of the dwelling and to
challenge the urban environment.
Eight Columns
As ground improvement was necessary, a grid frame of columns and beams
was employed, and the groundwork was confined to the areas beneath the
columns. Next, the columns bearing onto the foundation were brought
inside the house, resulting in the cantilever of the floors at the
sides, maximizing the width of the building. The columns are
integrated within the interior of the house. During construction, the
site resembled an excavation of Japanese ancient columns.
The 300mm square concrete columns are positioned on the 2.6m x 3.0m
grid and support the two 100mm-thick raised floors. A timber box sits
on the top of the concrete building like a penthouse. This simple and
clear structure is a logical solution dealing with the client’s wish
for as much space as possible, while at the same time, addressing the
restrictions imposed by the urban environment and regulations. However,
this would not have been possible had it not been for the cooperation
of the client who joked that the rough concrete columns were like
additional members of the family.
The House and its Form
On entering the ground floor, there is a comfortable sense of tension,
instilled by the grid of columns marking three spaces of approximately
4.5 tatami-mats in size, arranged along the length of the house, and
by the 0.95m aisles on either side. This floor is called the “doma”,
an earthen floor room, and it brings the outside and the city into the
house.
The floor-to-ceiling height of the first floor is moderately lowered,
creating an impression of both tension and intimacy, while the mobile
storage and the light well loosely divide the bedrooms from the
bathroom. On the second floor, you are greeted by the simple box-form
space with its generous openings and relaxed atmosphere. This is where
dining takes place and hence where the domestic hub lies. The eight
columns, in place of partitions, adapt flexibly to the changes that
will occur in family life over time. Not only do these concrete
columns have a structural function, but they also harbour the
potential for other functions in the future.
In Tokyo today, the houses that are built do not adhere to any
particular order or set of rules. Amidst this sprawl of unrestricted
confusion, we wanted to create a house that was akin to a museum.
Integrating traditional forms into everyday life, allows the house to
establish links to tradition and to create a sense of spatial tension.
The grid frame is modernist, while the columns and the raised floors
are traditional Japanese forms. These established forms will play a
vivid part in their contemporary setting. We are in the process of
developing a language that employs forms without being nostalgic and
traditionalist.
Katsuya Fukushima
Column and Slab images / information from Office of FT Architects
Japanese Houses
Column and Slab House - Building Information:
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Katsuya Fukushima, Hiroko Tominaga / FT Architects
Program: House
Site Area: 76.72m2
Built Area: 40.77m2
Total Area: 105.63m2
Structure: Reinforced Concrete, Partly Wood, 3 storeys
Photographs: Koichi Torimura
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Column and Slab House : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
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