Maniera Architect & Associates

The site is situated in a tranquil residential area along the Ashiya River, overlooking Mount Rokko to the north and the Seto Inland Sea to the south, with the welcoming pavilion designed by Wright also visible.Within the grounds stands a modernist pine tree planted in 1927, which the plan from the outset was to preserve rather than remove.

As the entire site is enclosed by local materials, ensuring a degree of privacy, the building achieves a bold openness that would typically be difficult to realise. This plan allows children and the family to remain constantly connected to the forest and nature.

The newly constructed main house features a modern, light design. This creates a striking contrast in scale and architectural era with the storehouse built approximately 100 years ago. The site entrance evokes the geometric patterns of the Seibo Art Museum in the city centre, while the Oya stone cladding echoes that of the Light-designed State Guest House, drawing upon the region's deeply rooted tradition of craftsmanship.

Approaching the gate, glimpses of the main house appear intermittently as one walks along the approach paved with Teppei stone, flanked by lamp posts and dogwood trees. Beyond this, one passes through a tunnel of Japanese maples and small-leaved maples, which turn crimson in autumn, arriving at the entrance to the main house and storehouse, connected by a glass-walled corridor. The view extends through the glass to the inner courtyard, where vibrant autumn foliage of dogwood and a towering Himalayan cedar, serving as a symbolic landmark, greet visitors.

The main living-dining-kitchen area in the main house features a ceiling height of 3.2 m, accommodating the owner's stature. Slim, sharply edged lattice windows face the garden and storehouse, creating an open space where one can enjoy the garden while sensing the presence of the historic storehouse. The guest house, which also serves as a car park, includes a golf room for spending time with friends. This section is also designed to face the main house and storehouse, creating a harmonious relationship between the buildings. The garden features only the remains of an air-raid shelter, with no other large structures, allowing children to play freely. The renovation avoided major structural alterations, preserving the original design and the accumulated patina of time.

Within the profound sense of time conveyed by the old and new buildings on this land, the new family's cherished memories will now be woven into the fabric of this place.