House S: a Samurai Residence
House S is a delightful house that tries to bring the surrounding landscape inside. It was designed by Keiji Ashizawa and is located in a quiet residential area in a center of Tokyo.
An interesting fact about this house is that it was once the residence of a samurai, and a few elements that define this fact are the beautiful old pine and zelkova trees within the area. It’s really something unique that creates a great and significantly impact over the design, since the house features many gardens on each floor, allowing the surrounding landscape to enter in the house offering privacy and an amazing space where you can relax and enjoy the green of the threes and the fresh air. The interior was designed based on the owners life style and the elements and materials were carefully chosen to fit this broader goal. I really like the amount of wood used all around the house, almost in every place, from floor to ceiling. All about light, materials and space were constructed to blend in a beautiful way with the art and furniture.
The structure of the House S is very complex, and the space was first of all considered in terms of the natural light, the flow of air, and of course the planning of art. Each room represents a space where you can relax and just enjoy the nature, on each level, howing four clear seasons with different light and feelings.
