I'm home

The W couple who live in Tokyo wanted to “find a new life style in the nature” and built a lodge-like wooden structured one-story weekend home in Karuizawa, and expressed the world of the architect Alvar Aalto. The architects Norio Yokota and Noriko Kawamura planned the main building in the deepest northern corner of the land, as the land was a triangle, and long on the north and south side. The trees are dramatically lit up in the approach. As the width of the land was short on the north side, they tried to make many openings on the south side, and as a result, the house became a striking shape, threading through the trees. The roof has big eaves which lowered the building height, kept the volume of the building down, and added warmth to the building by using the solid pine on the bottom of the eaves.
What was most difficult was the division of the space. To create a beautifully balanced hipped roof over the curvy building, the size of the space needed to have regularity. On the south side, a living room, dining room and bureau were planned, and on the north side, a compact-sized bedroom and bathroom were planned. “To maximize the living and dining rooms within the limited space of a 1-story building, other spaces needed to be planned in minimal space,” says Mr. Yokota. The curving shape also plays a role in gently dividing the interior space. Many wood materials were used for the interior finish imaging the lodge. The furniture is totally coordinated and centered around the Nordic design furniture. The windows created on all south sides invite ample nature into the house.
The house is equipped with a wooden stove and thermal storage heater below the floor to live comfortably all year around, since the couple visits almost every weekend. This lodge-like house that merges with the nature became a space for this family to build a strong bond together.

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