Location: Ogumi, Japan Year of construction: 1996 Architect: Toyo Ito Photography: Nacasa
The clients were a pair of artists that wanted the project to include a workshop and a gallery, in addition to the domestic spaces.
The owners were very keen that many of the activities associated with their work should be fully visible to the neighbors or inquisitive people coming up to look at their residence. Their house workshop also had to be a cultural center and a place where they could display their own work.
Toyo Ito located the dwelling right on the edge of an artificial lake (constructed as a reservoir), alongside a mountain slope. At no time did he want to make it blend into the landscape, modify the topography, or adjust it to the slope. The house is positioned on an artificial rectangular platform, perfectly flat, resembling buildings on many other sites.
The structure is formed by two lines of pillars that support a corrugated metal sheet roof, below which closed and open spaces alternate.
This does not mean that the house ignores its surroundings. On the contrary, it is in direct contact with the lake, the woods, the sun, and the air. However what is beyond doubt is that Toyo Ito wanted to convey the impression that the house did not belong to the setting, or form part of the landscape. It is certainly imbued with a taste for the ephemeral and nomadic and looks as though it could be dismantled at any time and taken away to another place.
The spaces are defined by prefabricated elements and unfinished materials. The astonishing thing about this house is its coherence. Unquestionably, it is a house that embodies a particular concept of life, in which work, art, and nature all have their place.
View from the lake. It can be seen chat the open spaces allow a view right through the building. In this way the house does not constitute a visual barrier.
Left-hand page:
Detail of the facade. The walls are built from prefabricated elements.
View of the area dedicated to the workshop. Although it is an external space, some drapes hanging from the roof do allow a degree of intimacy at certain moments, and can provide protection against the rays of the sun.
Left-hand page:
View of the entrance hall. Many of the elements and materials used are industrial in origin. The pieces on display in the hall were produced by the owners of the house, a pair of artists.
View from the living room to the hall. One of the resources employed is the play of transparencies, typical ofToyo Ito.
View of the den on the second floor. The severity of the finishes is not only determined by esthetic considerations, but also has a practical function, since it lowered the cost of the work considerably.