I'm home

Another feature in No.25 is "Water's Edge - Living Comfortably with Water". As we are all aware that "water" gives us who live in urban areas, the feeling of nature and peace just like light, wind and greens. Water surface swinging in breeze and silently streaming water sound surely comfort our mind. This issue introduces ways to incorporate water in lifestyle such as residence incorporating "water" as a symbolic existence, water garden which gives the feeling of nature and a swimming pool which would provide a total mental and physical relaxation.

House A in Meguro-ku, Tokyo(p.124) has a blending of Japanese and Western elements in their three water gardens. The rusty colored stone terrace which can be seen from the dining room, is designed very modern with a black granite stone basin and also specially ordered wooden bench. Black granite basin looks beautiful with or without water. Moreover, wash basin made out of stone is placed in the small space between the outside wall and the building wall. This water garden is facing the kitchen and the dining room and is certainly giving out the Japanese element. Under the bushy maple trees, there is a grass establishment using strawberry geranium and ophiopogon japonicus, imaging forests in Karuizawa. More than 100 kinds of plants are planted in order to make it "low-maintenance". In fact, this residence's dining room can overlook two gardens and in this dining room, there are a table and a chair(p.127) from "PROMEMORIA" which Mr. Romeo Sozzi designed and he was introduced in this issue's THE FACE(p.30). There certainly exists a skilled coordination between Romeo's feminine, modern furniture and Chinese-style chair which the owner previously owned. And a large calligraphy by Hirofumi Ito was displayed above the built-in sofa in the living room. This was brought in by the owner's mother when she had married into the family. This is the owner's true lifestyle to harmonize a fusion between old items and new items. And one can feel the flowing history and time in the originally created space.



Architect／Yokobori Associates (Kenichi Yokobori , Tomoko Komata)

COMMENTS