studio cochi architects develops concrete house around central open courtyard in japan

located in japan’s okinawa island, ‘house in nakagusuku’ by studio cochi architects is a concrete home developed around a central open courtyard. the residence is surrounded by gardens on the south, west and east that served as a buffer zone with the city. the central garden is both public and private, connecting the scattered gardens to create a light and wind path throughout the house.all images by ooki jingu

studio cochi architects has set ‘house in nakagusuku’ in a new residential area created by land readjustment in the central part of the main island of okinawa. the area is a brighter and more airy place than a typical residential zone due to the many fields and vacant lots around it. the project reinterprets the traditional structural arrangement of a private okinawan house, which considers the site and the building as one, in this modern area of the island.

‘in okinawa, there was originally an idea that the building and the site were one, and the fences and plants surrounding the mansion were made as an extension of the building, and many courtyard-type private houses surrounded by stone walls and plants can be seen,’ notes the japanese architecture studio. ‘this fence has the function of ensuring privacy and protecting the building from the violence of nature such as typhoons, and also serves as a buffer zone that gently connects the residence (private) and the village (public). in addition, a garden is set up between the fence and plants and the building, which is an important element to create a comfortable living space as a path of wind and light while accepting various activities of life.’

a reinterpretation of the traditional okinawan scheme mentioned above, the project incorporates nature in various forms. the building is set on an almost-square site, and the main living area has been divided into two volumes: a living room in the south and a private room group in the north. gardens were set up in the south, center, and east and west. the south and west gardens are arranged as a front yard that serves as a buffer zone with the city, and the east garden is a private garden from the dining room and bathroom, that helps keep a distance from the neighboring house.

studio cochi architects has developed the central garden as both public and private, connecting the scattered gardens to create a light and wind path throughout the house. in addition, because it is a residential area, the studio added a semi-external space, like a dirt floor, in the room in contact with the garden, loosely connecting the inside and outside.