In Akashi, Japan, there is a house overlooking the seawhere the days are marked by the sound of the Fūrin, a bell that follows the rhythm of the wind. It is no coincidence that the name Akashi, which means ‘glow’, coincides with the light and special atmosphere of the place. The house, on Hayashizaki Matsue beach, not far from Kobe, was designed by Akio Isshiki Architects as a place of work and leisure, culture and cuisine.
The architect renovated the building into one multifunctional spaceand: in addition to his residence and his studio, he also hosts a restaurant with curry specialties.
«During the design, I imagined I could transform an ordinary Japanese home into a project that integrated the old and the new, my roots and my cultural background, combining the traditional materials and techniques of this region», says the architect Akio Isshiki.
Video house in Japan Akio Isshiki Architects
Designed to reflect the Japanese soulthe house with the restaurant is located in a wooden building which, before the renovation, was dark and divided into many small rooms inside. «From the beginning I was aware that I would have to integrate different functions: not only a residential space, but also a multicultural environment, which was able to combine daily life with work activities», continues Akio Isshiki.
The project aims to preserve existing elements, integrating them with new modern componentsso as to reflect the versatile character of the entire structure. The house, clearly visible from the road, is preceded by a path that crosses a garden and leads to the entrance of the restaurant located on the ground floor.
Who, a veranda in authentic Japanese style welcomes guests with outdoor seatingseparating the interior through a large sliding glass door framed by wood. This solution allows you to admire the garden and, when completely open, creates continuity between the internal and external spaces, in connection with the surrounding nature.
Inside, the floor is lined with dark tiles which recall a historic tradition of local production. «They were handmade, one by one, by the artisans of Awaji Island. Their surface evokes the floors in lava stone typical of the cities of Central and South America, superimposing the consistency and shape of the edges on this inspiration”, explains Akio Isshiki.
The internal layout follows one transverse direction. Going into details, the house features several paraventi Shoji e Fusumatypical Japanese dividers, used for separate the different functions of each room. Then the concept of mixing traditional and new elements at the same time returns: the original pillars and beams integrate with the new Shoji style partitions. Furthermore, native climbing tropical plants are part of the project, to create further natural divisions between the spaces.
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Source: living.corriere.it
