Houses on the Rias Coast

We concept design the entire house, from design administration concept design the interior and concept design. The site overlooks the Sea of Japan, and the surrounding area is characterized by a complex, intricate ria coastline, known as a scenic spot with dynamic geological formations called "caves." Looking at the surrounding area, a labyrinthine network of alleys creates a unique streetscape. This is a characteristic of the region, with its cranked, square-shaped intersections designed to prevent northerly winds from blowing through. By incorporating this unique alley configuration into the first-floor plan, we segmented the building volume and harmonized it with the surrounding environment. The exterior and entrance hall are designed to resemble the topography of the ria coastline, and the setback from the south ensures continuity with the streetscape. On the other hand, the north facade is raised one level above the surrounding area, creating a three-dimensional, square-shaped structure intended to prevent northerly winds from blowing through into the town. Regarding the exterior finish, in order to reflect the distinctive appearance of the ria coast, where the lower part is rocky and the upper part is covered with trees, we used exposed aggregate concrete to resemble rock on the lower layer and wood-grain concrete made with cedar formwork on the upper layer. Both the aggregate that is exposed on the surface and the cedar formwork materials are locally sourced, and we hope that the unique texture created by these materials will weave the distinctive scenery of the location into the future. In addition, this two-tiered structure is also applied to the interior finishes, creating a sense of unity with the architecture and contributing to the development of a cohesive feel between the interior and exterior.

As we proceeded with design administration, the client requested that we create something like a traditional Japanese inn. In response, based on the interpretation that "the essence of a traditional inn is to fully experience the charm of the land," we aimed to create a building that reflects the context and culture of the surrounding environment and allows guests to feel the magnificent nature. The site was in a prime location overlooking the Sea of Japan, but there were two public roads between it and the coast, so the challenge was how to incorporate the magnificent scenery while ensuring privacy.

Using elevation coordinate data from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan's fundamental geographic information, we created an accurate 3D model of a wide-area topographic data spanning approximately 4km square, including the sandy beach and magnificent ria coastline visible from the site. By utilizing this model in BIM design administration, it became possible to accurately simulate, from a first-person perspective, how the view from inside the building would appear. We considered how to frame the view from inside the building using openings while blocking views from the surrounding environment, such as public roads and neighboring houses. By optimizing the design of openings in this way, we achieved a sense of unity with the surrounding natural environment, where the view seen from the openings feels like an integral part of the interior.