Inherited lifestyle - House Renovation / Architrip Inc.

Architects:Architrip Inc.

Area:198m²

Year:2024

Photographs:Yoshiki Yokoyama

Lead Architects:Syota Kuwana, Ryota Hiraoka

Lead Team:Ryota Hiraoka

City:Fukushima

Country:Japan

Text description provided by the architects. We worked on the design and construction of a renovation of an old folk house in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. The house has a long history, dating back 150 years, and is located in a suburban area of Fukushima City, rich in nature. In designing and constructing the house, we valued the passage of time that has been etched into this place, and aimed to create a place that could be passed on to the next generation.

The house used many traditional Japanese techniques, and we planned to preserve these materials and construction methods as much as possible. Our approach to the restoration of old folk homes is not to dismantle the old and rebuild it anew, but to add new value while retaining as much of the traditional Japanese techniques and materials as possible. Even when new materials were used, we selected natural materials that would blend well with the existing finishes.

Sericulture has been popular in this area for a long time and is also practiced on this property. The building was designed to retain the appearance of sericulture in those days, with baskets used in sericulture being used as part of the railing and as wall material to create a sericultural image.

The interior of the house is divided into two main sections: living space and earthen floor space. The total floor area is about 200 square meters, but due to changes in family structure and lifestyle, it is no longer necessary to use all the rooms as living space, so it was planned to accommodate a variety of living styles. The living space is insulated, and a flow line was created so that food, clothing, and shelter can be completed. It is a Japanese-style space with tatami mats as the main flooring so that many people can gather around the dining table while enjoying the coziness of an old folk house.

The earthen floor space, which occupies about half of the building, is intended for a variety of uses. The earthen floor is characterized by its continuity with the outside. By lowering the threshold from the outside, visitors can enter directly with their feet in the dirt. This makes it ideal for the owner, who cultivates the fields, to use when taking a break, or for a casual gathering place for neighbors. This space is also airy and ideal for storing vegetables and fruits and it is characterized by the sense of local character that is unique to this place where farming and sericulture are practiced.

Originally, Japanese architecture was primarily based on a variable floor plan. Shoji screen and fusuma sliding doors were used to create a place that suited one's lifestyle, adjusting the way light entered the room and creating a cutaway view of the landscape. Such houses have become rare in recent years, but this property created a highly variable space by incorporating a shoji screen and fusuma sliding doors. Looking out through the windows, one can cut out and view the surrounding landscape. This scenery becomes a part of the residence, and one can feel the changing seasons and environment.

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