This spectacular Japanese House sited in an exclusive residential district in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Perfecture with amazing view of the Osaka. The plan is designed by Eastern Design Office in L-shape, edge protruding greatly from the slope is an opening that swallows the outside. Straight eaves run amidst the curvilinear forms of the topography. The eaves project in a powerful manner not to be beaten by the inherent force of the topography. They are thin, thick, short, long and carved. To be protected by the house, yet at the same time have the feeling of flying away, making two extremes into one. This is realized in the architecture in the corresponding forms of the upper and lower floors.
Exterior formed into a mound by piling up soil excavated from the slope. The surface of the mound is a type of raw material made from crushed marble called “Kansui”. Glittering fragments of crushed marble on a whity surface shine brilliantly. There are two white mountains. The living quarters are inside the white mountain while atop the white mountainous wave is a deck. One of the two white mountains functions as a structural support for this building, while the other mountain conceals the bathroom. These two mountains are also set into the living spaces of the residential quarters.
The framework of the upper floor is steel and the lower floor is reinforced concrete. The lower floor fully utilizes the slope of the mountain. The upper and lower floors are used in different ways. The upper floor is a design room. The lower floor houses residential quarters. That is there are public spaces within the residential quarters. Taking balance to unify the upper and lower portions, the curves of the mountain are made continuous with the curves of the openings. There are two thin iron plate eaves on the openings: one with the length of 14 meters on the upper floor and the other with 16.5 meters on the lower floor. The thickness of the iron plate is only 9mm. The straight line of these two eaves emphasizes the expansive spreading horizontal width of this house. This is an exclusive residential area on a hill features a good commanding view. – Photos by Koichi Torimura ( Eastern Design Office )
