I'm home (NEWS / ENGLISH)

The H residence where a couple lives, stands in a residential area of a quaint resort town, Kamakura, KANAGAWA. They looked for land with a view of the ocean in the distance for 5 years, and asked the architect Kenichiro Niizeki to design their house. The husband who has interest in architecture and design, valued lighting and materials and did not want to place too much emphasis on design or function. The wife requested a comfortable house where people could gather as if it was their “home.” The exterior with the narrow lateral wood panel is impressive. On the first floor entering from the center of the building, is the Japanese style room, bedroom and bathroom. On the second floor is the living room, dining kitchen and study. On the 2nd floor, ash flooring is used throughout and the ocean can be seen from the dining room on the east side. The living room is positioned as an extension to the dining room, but is separated by its lowered floor. Also the warm lights from the fireplace and lamps create a different atmosphere in the dining room. The lights from Henning Koppel's oil lamp and Serge Moulle's floor stand add depth to the space. The lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere for guests to enjoy their after dinner time in the living room. Also, the sockets have been placed with the lighting and furniture layout in mind, so the space looks very tidy. The top light created over the staircase next to the living room adds soft light to the space and gives it a spacious feeling.

The M residence is a 2-story house with a basement. It’s situated in the center of Tokyo in Shibuya, in a quiet residential area full of green. The owner, an American who has been living in Japan for 16 years, asked his friend and architect Mr. Sojun Kondo to design the house. Mr. Kondo appointed lighting designer Kentaro Koyama to assist, which proves the value of lighting, which in many cases determines the quality of a house. As the land is on high ground, the living room, dining room and kitchen were planned for the 2nd floor. By using the steel structure, ample natural light and the view can be enjoyed from the ceiling-height window on both the north and the east side. Tinted ash wood was used for the ceiling and the floor, creating the image of a mid century interior. The chic sofa and antique furniture the owner selected create a modern, yet soft atmosphere. The owner enjoys the sober lighting created by floor and table lamps to the even lighting created by the equipped lighting in his former apartment. Mr.Koyama minimized the lighting to allow for enjoying candles, and selected simple lighting that highlights the interior. In the living room, spot lights have been mounted in the ceiling and an originally designed pendant light balancing out the table was placed in the dining room. These lights are connected to the Lutron light controller to enjoy the lighting according to the scene. For the bedroom on the 1st floor, a door has been placed inside the window to completely shut out the lights for sleeping. Successful usage of the natural and artificial lights have created a comfortable house that meets the lifestyle of the owner.