Studio Velocity: House in Chiharada

Within a site partially occupied by a two-story house, Japanese practice Studio Velocity has just completed an extravagant residence for a young couple. Although there aren't buildings close to the site, the new construction had to relate to the existing building and, in particular, as they share the available land, it was designed as a multi-story building.

In order to gain space from the the old building architects have opted for a round form, arranging it atop an irregular hill. The terrain creates little gardens around the curved perimeter of the house that can be directly accessed from each of the small rooms on the ground floor, while the only large room — the living room — overlooks the entire house from the first floor. The ground floor and the first floor are relatively close, with a low ceiling that divides the two levels. When the central staircase is open, the gardens can also be seen from the top level.

Entering through the first floor, the visitor is immersed into an airy, light-filled space, dominated by a skylight. From here, four stairs depart, each connected to a diverse bedroom on the ground floor. From each bedroom it is possible to look up at the skylight, while simultaneously allowing for natural light to penetrate every recess of the house.

"The intention behind this project," state the architects, "has been to make people able to perceive the earth and the sky at the same time and from anywhere, even if it is a multi-story building." Intersecting exterior, interior, and thinking of the living room as a platform suspended between inside and outside, ground floor and first floor, the hierarchy between the different levels disappears and individual scenarios and functions merge.

Studio Velocity: House in Chiharada
Architects: Studio Velocity
Site area: 144,93 square metres
Built area: 55,28 square metres
Total floor area: 110,56 square metres
Location: Chiharada, Okazaki-city, Aichi, Japan