Site
Location: Wakayama
Land area: 580m2

Building
Use: Private Residence
Structure: Concrete
Floor Area: 330m2

Webpage
OpenBuildings

The site, at the south of Wakayama castle, one time was the place where samurai residences were located. 
Each parcel, developed inside the regular grid framed by large streets, makes the district nice for living. The
residence was designed in a flat area of almost 580 m2, surrounded by an environment lacking in personality. 
The project is a small architectural episode, which try to cut out its microcosm from such a context.

The request of the owner can be summarized in just a few worlds. He wanted a house with exposed concrete 
finish walls, a garden pond, a Jacuzzi and an invisible approach to the house from outside. It was decided to 
use a concrete unfinished surface to describe the skin of the house. Every effort was spent in order to 
maintain the sense of the concrete material in the entire building, obtaining a nice result and giving the house
particular spatial characteristics.

The white finished wall of the garage is the only element facing the road. It`s not a mistake. It is due to the will 
of not let the visitor feel this particular atmosphere, before entering in the building. The small apertures 
opened in this detached wall, let foresee from outside the environment inside the house.

The building is divided into three small blocks; a main part for living functions, a smaller block which is a kind 
of library, and the garage, over the back of which, there is a gentle green slope. All the surfaces facing to the 
garden open on it. As private rooms are located on the second floor, an aluminum grid was adopted. 
This grid is not only a mere blinder; it is above all a fundamental layer which was necessary to give the house 
its pleasant surroundings. The grid and the small apertures in the concrete, permitted to create a filter 
between outside and inside.

The enclosed garden in the area wants to reproduce the nature with artificial shapes. Instead of a real pond, 
to reproduce the appearance of flowing water, sand from Shirakawa was used. A Karesansui is a typical 
japanese courtyard where inside there is sand with straight lines representing waves. Ginsyadan is the name 
of the Karesansui present in Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto, which is one of the most famous example. 
The flow of water was also expressed with emphasis by using square shaped stainless steel flat bars 
superposed from down to the top. Along the approach from the north side of the garden, there are eight olive 
trees, also arranged in a grid frame.