A Flexible Living Space in japan by IGArchitects
IGArchitects has designed Check Patterned House, a residential project in a calm neighborhood of Saitama, Japan, to accommodate the evolving lifestyle of a three-member family and their connected store. Constructed with reinforced concrete, the structure emphasizes adaptability and responsiveness to the occupants’ changing needs. Positioned at two diagonal corners of the house, sizable wall pillars may initially appear disproportionate to the house’s scale. However, these pillars serve a specific purpose, enclosing private areas like the entrance, bathroom, toilet, storage, and utility spaces that do not require extensive windows. The floors and roof extending beyond these pillars do not rely on additional foundations or support columns. Instead, they cantilever from these two wall pillars, resembling the organic extensions of branches and leaves. This structural design establishes a harmonious relationship between the wall pillars and slabs, akin to that of a tree trunk and its foliage.
all images by Ooki Jingu
Exploring Interconnected Spaces within Check Patterned House
The interior layout features a linear circulation path that gradually leads to more private areas. This offers occupants the freedom to move around the pillars and floors, allowing them to choose their preferred spaces.‘Just like birds hop between branches, this plan allows people to spend time wherever they want by moving between the pillars and floors,’ shares the team at IGArchitects. The two concrete wall pillars placed in a checkered pattern, along with cross-sectionally displaced floors, create a spatial depth. This arrangement enables individuals in any room to perceive a sense of distance and glimpse the ‘other side.’ The exterior wall, wrapped with opaque glass, extends this perception to the outside, fostering a connection between interior and exterior spaces. While each room retains its function, the interconnectedness between them blurs boundaries, expanding the overall space both internally and externally.
a reinforced concrete house for a family of three
the project takes shape as a simple cubic concrete structure
