House in Yatsugatake

The house is located in the eastern slope of Yatsugatake mountains at 1,450 meters above sea level as a part of the the resort area first developed in 1960s, overlooking Mount Asama in the north, Chichibu mountains in the east, and Mount Fuji in the southeast. The site sits in the eastern perimeter of the resort area hence has a clear view of the forests and no further area for new buildings, fulfilling the client’s will to live surrounded by nature.

From the driveway in the eastern perimeter of the site, the ground level rises 3 meters in the center and 8 meters in the western perimeter. The house is placed in the center of the site and has the garage, the, workshop, the maid’s room, and the machine room on the first floor at 1.5 meters above the driveway, and the entrance, the living room, the dining room and bedrooms on the second floor.

The entrance is accessed through the east-west corridor between the garage and the maid’s room, then the staircase leading to the second floor, clad in glass providing views to the surrounding forest while creating snow protection and thermal insulation.

The house has the floor plan with a kink in the middle providing distinct views from each individual room.

Construction was carried out with vigilance in order to protect the existing trees and plants, and no additional landscaping was provided. In summer, trees create an abundance of natural shade with only the roof emerging from the landscape.

The house has both the floor heating and air conditioner equipped for severe winter weather with temperature falling below -15°C.