I'm home (NEWS / ENGLISH)

Takamatsu Residence stands in the suburbs of Tokyo full of greens. The owner of this house, Takamatsu couple had spent 18 years in the green environment in Boston. While their stay in Boston, they had collected various furniture and other small items from antique market and recycling shops. As such, they considered it's important to live in a similar environment like the one in Boston and were able to spot a perfect plot of land in Tokyo, overlooking a park full of greens on the south side. However, due to legal regulations, the space that a building can be constructed was highly limited and there was an issue whether American sized large shelf and sofa that they owned, could fit in the house or not.
An architect, Akira Hikone designed the house having an entrance in the center of the residence and rooms are situated on both sides of this entrance. This made the maximum use of the space. An approach that goes into the back of the building, let the visitors see the greens of the park exquisitely. There are a bedroom, a Japanese-style room and bathroom on the 1st floor and on the 2nd floor, where you can have a panoramic view of greens of the park, a living room and a dining room and a kitchen are located. This space appears to be the box seat of this residence. Moreover, a white artificial marble counter which extends from the kitchen to the terrace enables the couple to use the terrace space as part of indoor. On weekends and holidays, the couple enjoys the brunch and tea time in the terrace.
Unifying the kitchen in white color accentuates the space which is produced in black cedar and at the same time, the antique porcelain and cooking utensils that the couple had collected in the past, contrast favorably with this color combination. Various dishes are stored in the cabinet on the wall and electrical appliances that the couple wouldn't want to show, can be put away under the counter. This kitchen is certainly highly functional.
Each space, a living room and a dining room and a kitchen, is divided but subtly connected to each other, which it creates some depth feel. Moreover, most of the American furniture is superbly laid out and the residence became the couple's ideal space.

Architect : A . H . ARCHITECTS

It's located in Oahu, Hawaii. The location is popular as it is in Black Point , a surfing spot, in the east of Diamond Head. Doris Duke Estate, so-called "SHANGRI LA" is owned by this American millionaire, Doris Duke. This building named "Utopia", stands in the land of approximately 1300m2 with a superb landscape and it's an art work as Doris phrased it as "it would never be completed" and she spent her whole life on decorating it.
Doris Duke was born in NY in 1912 as the only daughter of James Buchanan Duke who was a prominent founder of tobacco company and electric power company. She was called "a million dollar baby" and received a lot of attention from public, however, when she was 12 years old, her father had deceased and she inherited all his assets. She got married at the age of 22, and spent a year on her honeymoon visiting Syria, Turkey and India. In Syria and Turkey, she was mesmerized by ceramic tiles and their ornaments. In India, she was inspired by Taj Mahal shining white in the moonlight and she was determined to build a white mansion. She got antiques and ivories in Shanghai and Bangkok and she fell in love with Honolulu, a final destination. She learned swimming and surfing from a surfer god, Duke Kahanamoku and his brother in the quiet environment without any distraction. She utterly enjoyed this active and free lifestyle there.
She decided to build a house in this paradise and purchased a prime land command a view enjoying Diamond Head. Architecture design was done by an American architect, Marion Sims Wyeth influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. He proposed the space design applying difference of elevation and simplified the space without any decoration. In that space, Doris took a lead and reproduced her favorite decoration with antiques, tiles and textiles from Syria , Turkey and Iran and with Indian white marble. The ceiling was decorated with wooden work by an artist, Rene Martin from Morocco.
Doris passed away in 1993 and by her will "Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art" was established to let SHANGRI LA have a public exposure.
Doris Duke who loved ocean, devoted everything to SHANGRI LA and it is suitable be called it an art. Inquiries for tours are addressed to Honolulu Academy of Arts.

An architect, Kiyoshi Seike handled many post-war residences which were historically remarkable in Japanese modern architecture. While western culture was flooding in and exerting huge influence on the lifestyle of Japanese people, he let Japanese formal beauty (such as wooden beams, pillars, tatami and paper screens) sublime as a modern architecture and kept proposing the importance of "placement(Shitsurae)" which conforms to occasions, seasons and to the change of lifestyle.
Seike had completed his own private residence in 1954, called "Seike House I". This house has a 4m long window facing the garden which he himself called "living-garden" and when that window is completely opened, the indoor and the outside will unify and become an open space.
For the room of only 50m2 space, he didn't establish any partitions and he divided the living room and the Bedroom by a curtain. By this, he made the layout as open as possible. In that house, he had enjoyed an easygoing life with his wife and four children for 16 years. This house became a residence prototype which makes one wonder what is really a fulfilling life by minimizing the functions.
However, as his children grew older, some inconveniences arose and he ended up rebuilding his parents' wooden adjoining house. This is the "Seike House II" completed in 1970. This residence employing a mixed structure, has a big space of 190m2, however, the human scale concept of living together with a family under the same roof is still dominant, i.e.; his particular philosophy towards the residence is still expressed just like in "Seike House I". He made wide flange(H-shaped) steel beam exposed and combined different materials such as double-glazed glass(this is highly durable as thin glass is put on top of 6~7mm thick glass) and Yakiita (this is Japanese specific way of avoiding erosion by carbonization. Process is to burn the surface of wooden plate). His approach is visible everywhere as he constantly employed new materials and technology.
He said, "The residence is not a 'house' but has to be a 'home'." If there's no family with whom you can feel close to, a fulfilling lifestyle cannot be born. Seike kept stressing on the importance of these words throughout his life. His perspective which significantly takes the bonding within family is important as one human-being, before being an architect, is prominent.

Puglia is located in the heel part of boot-shaped Italy. It is about 2 hour flight from Milan and this Puglia is getting a lot of attention from Milan people. The most beautiful area is the "White Town", Ostuni where the white houses painted in cream of lime, line up on a hill. The hotel, "LA SOMMITA'" on top of the hill, is located behind the cathedral which stands in the center of the town. This cathedral was a palace built in the 16th century, adhering Romanesque and Gothic. It used to be called "Palazzo Palmieri (Palace of Palm tree)" as it has a big palm tree in the courtyard, however, in 2004, a large scale of a renovation was done by a Milan interior accessory brand, "CULTI" and now it is reborn as a current hotel. This hotel has only 10 guestrooms in total. To maintain the charm of this town, building structure was remained as is, however, modern design was incorporated in furniture and bathrooms. Starting with furniture placed in each room, the linen, aroma pots, amenity goods are all originals of CULTI. From the terrace further beyond the 2nd floor lobby, one can have a great view of vast olive fields and Adriatic Sea. If you make a reservation in advance, you can get an access to a private beach which is for members only and there you can enjoy a highly transparent ocean and pure white sand beach. Various courses are available at the health spa such as treatments with natural ingredients, etc. Meals are prepared with rich and varied foods originated in Puglia. Many people are mesmerized by this modern hotel, located in the charming white town. CULTI proposes "Perception Project" which stimulates 5 senses of people and this is definitely put into practice here at LA SOMMITA' and has been successful.

「LA SOMMITA'」
Address : Via Scipione Petrarolo 7, Ostuni, PUGLIA ITALY
TEL.＋39(0)831-305925 FAX.＋39(0)831-306729
E-mail. info@lasommita.it
URL.http://www.lasommita.relaisculti.com