Urban Patterns and a Patio
The site sits on a gentle slope leading down to the Bay of Beppu, nestled in a typical downtown residential area. The neighbourhood features narrow streets, houses tightly packed along the edges of the site, and numerous power lines crisscrossing the area. Upon visiting, we were surprised by the size of the site—it was roughly the combined size of four neighbouring plots and opened up at the back toward a public carpark for the community centre.
A key client request was privacy, both from the neighbourhood and between family members. While a tall wall was suggested to block views, we proposed to maintain a dialogue with the neighbourhood without severing the relationship to the street.
Due to the ratio between the small required program compared to the large site, the house was divided into 5 separate volumes subtly reflecting the proportions and scale of the surrounding buildings. By doing so, the unusually new building ‘fit in’ to the nostalgic feel and human scale of the neighbourhood, while allowing each volume to serve a distinct function and character.
At the top of the site, the main bedroom, storage, and bathroom are housed in a medium-sized volume. A smaller volume with a lower ceiling contains the children’s rooms, while the tallest volume, with its expansive interior, holds the living and kitchen spaces. A carport just big enough for two cars, and a small gym separate from the main building complete the arrangement. These volumes are positioned around a central courtyard, creating a calm, private space amidst the urban density. Accessible from multiple points, the courtyard encourages interaction and a connection to the exterior.
The materials reinforce the connection between indoor and outdoor, with courtyard tiles extending into the interior spaces, and white walls reflecting natural light. The humble use of silver corrugated steel on the facade helps the building blend with the surrounding landscape, reflecting the colours and textures of the neighbourhood.
Large openings throughout maintain privacy from the street while allowing the interior to stay connected to the lively exterior. The shifting character of the spaces, combined with abundant light and air, makes the house somewhere you want to be - an oasis that feels both natural and connected to the life around it, without compromising the surrounding neighbourhood.
