K.BASE

The Oiwake area, located on the west side of Karuizawa, is popular for its bright and open atmosphere with the Mikage Waterway flowing slowly, unlike the atmosphere of the old summer resort of Old Karuizawa. The main residence is a one-story villa standing along the irrigation canal overlooking Mt. Asama. The owner, who enjoys skiing, built it as a ski house to use with friends in the winter, and since the owner likes natural stone, we sought a way to use stone that would be suitable for a villa. Since people spend a long time in a house, we thought about how to use the stone in a way that would increase the resolution of the space over time and suddenly notice the different expressions and charms of the natural stone, rather than attracting attention with luxury or decoration. The most symbolic space is the kitchen, which combines two natural stones. When you go through the corridor from the entrance hall, you will be greeted by a dynamic kitchen in front of you. There is no dining table, and by integrating the counter and dining table, the kitchen stands out and becomes a symbolic presence like a stage among the living room, dining room, and kitchen.

The main residence is located near the old Nakasendo road in Karuizawa, overlooking Mount Asama to the north and with a small stream flowing on the east side.
We planned a ski room, living/dining room, kitchen, gym, bedroom, study, and bathroom for a villa located in Karuizawa Oiwake. The site area is approximately 1,000m², and the total floor space is approximately 240m², so we deliberately design administration, taking into consideration how people will spend their time there. As the client is a kitchen manufacturer, we were asked to propose concept design was comfortable to live in, but also differentiated, from the entire interiors materials, including concept design of the kitchen, which is all original.

We planned a living space that valued the scenery and views, and placed the symbolic kitchen as the main feature, while creating a space that could accommodate active sports such as skiing and cycling, as requested by the client. We also used natural materials such as wood, stone, and fire in the interior, and created concept design that made use of the texture and expression of the materials, creating a comfortable and warm living space, aiming to harmonize with the surrounding environment and create a one-of-a-kind villa. In addition, all seven types of stone used in this project were made in Italy, and although the stone plays a central role, we were conscious of not treating it as decoration, but rather making the most of the quality of the materials by adding as little modification as possible, as if it were Japanese cuisine.