SI House – A Step towards Simpler Living

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SI-house, TNdesign一級建築士事務所 TNdesign一級建築士事務所 Minimalist houses
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At any point of time during the year, Lida-shi, one of the smaller cities of Nagano prefecture, Japan, can be seen cloaked in the colours of the prevailing season. It stands in the shadows of Kiso (Central Alps) and Akaishi Mountains (Southern Alps). Tenryo River pierces its valley and brings fresh tides of the region every day. People of Lida-shi have yet not forgotten the simple pleasures of life, such as apple picking in autumn or revelling in the marionette festival that is held here every year.

In a place like this it would have been such a shame to shut the door on the face of nature. While planning for a suburban family home in Lida-shi, TN Design refused to commit that mistake. The results were glorious, to say the least. SI House not only managed to win the hearts of all the stakeholders of the project, including the owners, but also earned critical acclaim in 2013 Barbara Kapokin International Architecture Awards ceremony.

Exterior of the House

From the outside, it looks similar to one of those camouflage houses which remains mischievously veiled in its existence. It looks so unlike any of the houses in the city or anywhere else in Nagano prefecture. However, in one way it clings to the tradition. The clever design of SI House uses the hilly terrain of Japanese Alps to spread the house in multiple levels. What remains exposed is the large open type living room that occupies the top most floor.

Living Room

SI House follows minimalist design philosophy to its very core. In its exterior as well as the interior, the architect has got rid of all inessentials. With the exception of the engineered wooden floor, the colour palette has been reduced to black, grey and white. With the walls, roofs, doors and windows mostly substituted with large glass panes, nature has been left to induce its own colours and give the house a decorative feel. Except for the entertainment and dining area, the design is replicated in the floor above.

Atrium

The area between the living cum dining room at the lower level and bedroom has been transformed into a green atrium. A steel spiral staircase to the upper floor graces one corner of it. Like other areas of the house, the atrium affords generous views of the pretty face of the sky.

Bedroom

With only a twin size platform bed and wall mounted wardrobes to clutter its space, the bedroom looks more expansive than it actually is. Huge glass wall offers views of the atrium, lounge area and the sky above.

Hallway

Following the design ideal of the rest of the structure, the hallway is built glass panelled even on the ceilings. Though transparent in itself, it subtly separates the more private areas of the house from the public ones. The entrance, shielded by a wooden door, opens up towards the street. The floor is built to give a feeling of a walk on the gravel path.

Bathroom

If not for the presence of the wooden plank beneath the wash basins and a discreet variation of texture, the bathroom would have been perceived as a sea of white. A wall mounted cabinet holds all the necessary items and is supplied with a washing machine too. The shower room could be reached through the glass door standing at the end of the passage.

A design like this amply helps in cutting down the costs of electricity. An optimal flow of natural light can be expected throughout the year, not to forget the insulating capabilities of the transparent material during the colder seasons. A greater luxury, however, lies in being able to watch the unsullied face of nature at any moment of the day, any time of the year. If there is anything that concerns about the structure is a seeming lack of privacy. All in all, though, SI House remains a superb example of contemporary design even if it is a tad too pure for the eyes.

More inspirations of minimalist Japanese design could be found here.

Japanese SI House embraces minimalist contemporary design to eliminate all the inessentials of a family home providing a decluttered and expansive ...

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