Inside Outside House

内と外の家

We worked with a locally based construction company to develop a new housing model.

In this project we were motivated by a critique of the ever-present ‘-LDK box house.’We wanted to utilise ordinary construction techniques to create a brighter alternative.

Looking back at the roots of Japanese domestic culture, we became interested in the space where the inside and outside are mixed. Looking closely at the engawa (verandah), the naka niwa (courtyard), and the doma (dirt floor) we began to realise that these spaces are not only pleasant spaces, but they are also convenient spaces: spaces born from our daily behaviours. It seems that modern housing has left a lot of this behind, and in doing so, created an urban fabric of barriers.

To bring the outside in and let the inside out, we came up with a double-line grid system called a ‘polyline frame.’ By making the structural lines double, the threshold could be actively designed as a space between the structure, and we could focus on maximising the quality of these in-between spaces.

By rethinking the house from a structural perspective, we were able to develop a new design methodology that mixes interior and exterior spaces at the planning level. The result is a sequence of open, connected spaces that is open to the city, and more connected to the rhythm of our daily lives.