Otakanomori House

Nagareyama, Chiba, Japan

Photo © Akinobu Kawabe

Single Houses

Architects: Yashima architect and associates

Location: Nagareyama, Chiba, Japan
Year: 2018

The town, named after the goshawk that once inhabited it, has been developed on a large scale and transformed into a brand-new residential area with several roads laid out. When he saw the vast cleared land, he wondered if it would be possible to create a small forest in a corner of the land.

The owner of the house asked for a house that would house his vast collection of books and allow for bird watching. The books would be stored in a way that they would always be easily accessible, and the birds would chirp wherever they were. The image of the house was a "library in the forest.

The requirements for the garden were: a long space for wild birds to glide easily, a variety of plants of different sizes, a well-lit water feature that would not be easily targeted by cats and crows, and a large window facing the living room and dining room for observation. However, the surrounding area is flat and residential. If privacy is given up in exchange for large openings, the house will not be relaxing. On the other hand, a court house surrounded by a high wall would not attract wild birds. Therefore, we decided to lower the building slightly and lower the position of the openings while enclosing the house with a low wall, thereby ensuring both a good view and privacy.