Wall-less House - research

The site for this building is a large section by Tokyo standards (255m2) in a dense residential neighbourhood in Setagaya-ku district. The footprint of the house is small incomparison, taking up only around 20% of the site (50m2) which provides a rare sense of space and the ability to completely open up the house to its surroundings. Plantings around the edge of the site provide privacy for the ground level which is completely surrounded by glass sliding doors which slide right back opening this ground level to the site.

The lightweight steel load-bearing frame structure has vertical loads distibuted through a central utility core and 2 thin columns.

There are some similarities to Mies Van Der Rohe's Farnsworth House, though that is only 1 storey and appears to float on piloti compared with the Tezuka house which is firmly planted in the ground. The Tezuka House in comparison does seem to be more like a tree in this respect...with more privacy afforded further up cloistered by foliage and low walls.

I fell in love with this house  - I love the sense of versatility provided by the different kinds of spaces. Down on the ground next to nature, living on the lawn almost then up on the roof with expansive views. But also confined and private in the core spaces. This house seems to have the best of both worlds in that respect.

Unlike other 'wall-less' house this house provides more overt privacy in areas where you want this, without having to manipulate the house in order to do so - no curtains are necessary. The bedrooms are up high which provide privacy in itself as the surrounding trees are high.

 

Details

Principal use: Residence
Building site: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Site area: 255.19m2
Footprint area: 50.84m2
Total floor area: 239.91m2
Number of stories: Basement, 3 Floors
Structure: steel
Construction: Matsumoto Corporation
Completed: 2001

Comparison with Shigeru Ban's Wall-less house

http://www.umemagazine.com/scrollSpreads.aspx
Completed 1997, single level, built into side of a mountain (not free standing).
The entire floor is open with optional sliding panels (cf. the central core of the Tezuka house)
Footprint = 60m2
Number of stories = 1