| Mount Fuji Architects Studio - Sakura Private Residence in Meguro,Tokyo,Japan |
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| Monday, 09 August 2010 07:38 | |
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 26 May 2011 11:14 |
The project is a residence for a couple, doubling up as an office. The site is situated within a residential neighborhood, where the cost of land are among the highest in Tokyo, with the cluttered urban fabric typical to residential areas in downtown Tokyo. It is hard to say if the quality of living environment deserves the price of land.
Masahiro Harada of Mount Fuji was compelled to create a comfortable living environment, despite crowded environment inspired as they explained by two classic ‘Glass Houses’ by Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. 
As he explains: “The sense of freedom and openness that makes us want to walk naked inside these houses surely owes to the transparency of the glass itself, but it is the fact that the buildings are surrounded by a pleasant environment –the forest– that counts the most. Since ‘the forest’ itself already provides a comfortable living environment, it is left for the architecture to separate internal to external atmospheres with thin, transparent membranes. They clearly demonstrate that as long as there is an environment suitable for living, a ‘house’ is no more necessary.”
The challenge was finding a feature that would replace the role created by the forest in the Glass Houses. He placed two large, swirled belt-shaped surfaces on the premises, consisting of self-standing walls, 7.5 m and 5 m high respectively and made of lace-like steel 3 mm thick that filters light like sunshine through foliage, with holes punched out in a floral pattern depicting cherry blossoms, a traditional Ise paper stencil pattern.
“As we make our way into the abstracted forest of cherry blossoms, we are greeted by an ‘environment filled with anticipation for a living comfort” adds Harada. “There, nothing can be found that suggests a ‘setup’ of a ‘house‘. The place is a pure ‘living environment’ and is neither a symbol called ‘house’ nor a ‘residential area.’” The house is alive, an enjoyable space fitting the lifestyle of its occupants.
