Dezeen Magazine

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

Y-shaped wooden columns support rooms and lofts at different levels inside this family house in Matsudo, Japan, by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects (+ slideshow).

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

A total of eight columns stretch up to the roof of the house, overlapping one another to support a spilt-level first floor containing two bedrooms and a traditional Japanese room, as well as three separate lofts overhead.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

The living room, dining room and kitchen are all located on the ground floor and are loosely separated into different zones by the gridded layout of the columns.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

"Although the whole house is just one space under big roof, it is divided loosely with Y-shaped frames and floorboards," said Hiroyuki Shinozaki.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

"I hope that the family uses the structure of the house in their daily life," the architect added. "For example, people hanging pictures and figures from Y-shaped frames and marking the height of their child on it. And they will leave the trail of their life on the house like a well-thumbed book."

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

A wooden staircase leads up to the split-level first floor, while ladders connect each of these rooms with the lofts directly above.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Flooring and furniture throughout the house is also wooden, matching the timber columns.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

The roof of the house runs parallel with the angled wooden braces, as do the windows on the gabled facade.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

An L-shaped terrace is positioned at the back of the building and wraps around the rear of the dining area.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Hiroyuki Shinozaki has completed two other houses named after letters of the alphabet in the last year. House K features a skinny west wing, while House T has huge rectangular holes in the walls and floors.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

See more architecture by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects, including a cafe filled with courtyard gardens.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

See all our stories about houses in Japan »

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Photography is by Fumihiko Ikemoto.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Here's some project details from the architect:


House H

Client: family
Location: Chiba, Japan
Site area: 161.82 sq m
Built area: 64.02 sq m (39.56%)
Gross floor area: 115.41 sq m (71.31%)

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Completion date: Dec 2012
Structure: Wood Flame, 2 story
Maximum height: 7.96 m

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Project Team: Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Sota Matsuura, Tatsumi Terado Structural Studio
Structure engineer: Tatsumi Terado Structural Studio
Contractor: Hirohashi Komuten Lo.,Ltd.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: site plan

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: ground floor plan - click above for larger image

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: first floor plan - click above for larger image

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: long section - click above for larger image

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: cross section one

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: cross section two

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: east elevation

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: north elevation

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: west elevation

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

Above: south elevation