The Pitched Roof
House for Tezuka Architects
Traditional Japanese houses do not create enclosed environments but instead, form spaces that enable easy transition from the inside to the outside. By forming a blurred boundary, only 40 percent of the space under the roof is entirely enclosed. While the inside is being used primarily by the inhabitants, it is the outside that defines it. Deep eaves, as Japanese traditional architecture elements in local monsoon climate, are almost extinct in modern houses. The house seeks to reinterpret the deep eave and create opportunities for Japanese qualities to flourish in modern architecture.
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The Pitched Roof by Takaharu Yui Tezuka
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Takaharu Yui Tezuka The Pitched Roof
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The Pitched Roof House Press Releases
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The Pitched Roof House Media Articles
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Unique Properties
This is a house located in Karuizawa, Japan with an extremely simple pitched roof. Traditional Japanese houses do not create enclosed environments but instead, form spaces that enable easy transition from the inside to the outside. By forming a blurred boundary, only forty percent of the space under the roof is enclosed within the interior. While the inside is being used primarily by the inhabitants as living spaces, it is the outside that defines it.
Tags
House, Pitched Roof, Cantilevered, Japanese, Deep eaves, Boundary, Wood structure,
Production Technology
The cantilevered roof of over 6 meters, pushes the limit of the 200mm thick roof structure. By adopting a folded shape as the main structural element, it minimizes the support needed as compared to having a flat roof, which would require three times more of the support utilized. Like the Japanese papercraft, Origami, the L-shaped surface acts as a monocoque element – not resisting stiff but drooping about 5 centimeters under snow pressure like tree branches in the forest.
Design Challenge
In Traditional Japanese Houses, the space under the eaves is often associated with columns. However, these columns serve purely as structural elements to support the cantilevered edges and are not crucial in enclosing the space. Had technology been much more advanced, we would have been able to design without columns years ago. We are now able to achieve the real intricate quality of open spaces in Japanese Architecture - a feat that was not possible for carpenters 400 years ago.
Project Duration
The project started in July 2007 and finished in May 2009 in Karuizawa, Japan
Operation Flow
The house is designed for a well-known Japanese pop songwriter who wanted to create a place where he could disconnect from the pressures of daily life. The space enclosed enables the inhabitants to perform their basic living tasks while open space under the deep eaves allows them to connect to nature and the surroundings. The sliding doors which divide the inside from the outside can be used to realize the shift in ambiance within the living space.
Research
The pitched roof house is trying to reach a certain level of mutability by re-interpreting the traditional elements into modern context. In aiming to heighten qualities of architectural mutability, the work is tied into a long tradition of Japanese vernacular architecture known for its sliding doors, screens, and other boundary-modulating elements, such as deep eaves. These elements not only create the spatial fluidity, but also open the architecture to life-giving elements of sunlight, wind, and humidity, modestly scaled the ubiquitous digital lifestyle with a return of nature.
Inspiration
Deep eaves, as one of the most important Japanese traditional architecture elements in local monsoon climate, are almost extinct in modern houses. It is essential to comprehend the meaning of these traditional elements in the modern setting. With the latest technology, the house seek to reinterpret the deep eave in the context of a humid climate, retain and create more opportunities for these distinctive Japanese qualities to sprout forth in modern architecture.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Katsuhisa Kida, FOTOTECA, 2009. Image #2: Photographer Katsuhisa Kida, FOTOTECA, 2009. Image #3: Photographer Katsuhisa Kida, FOTOTECA, 2009. Image #4: Photographer Katsuhisa Kida, FOTOTECA, 2009. Image #5: Photographer Katsuhisa Kida, FOTOTECA, 2009.
Project Overview
The Pitched Roof House has been a Silver winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work The Pitched Roof House.
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka Press Releases
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The Pitched Roof: A Modern Interpretation of Traditional Japanese Architecture
Award-winning architects Takaharu + Yui Tezuka unveil their innovative house design in Karuizawa, Japan
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka Newsroom
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