"Rather than replacing this structure, the project sought to preserve its spatial clarity while updating it for contemporary use as a combined residence and guesthouse. Rising construction costs further reinforced the decision to work carefully with the existing building. The design is based on the idea of 'enclosure' as a recurring condition across different scales: the valley that surrounds Hakone, the forest enclosing the site,"
"The site sits halfway up a mountain, reached by the local mountain railway, with the Owakudani volcanic valley rising behind it. Zoned as a low-rise residential area, the neighborhood is characterized by a mix of permanent homes and vacation houses, each maintaining a high level of privacy through generous setbacks. Surrounded by tall cedar trees and sloping gently toward the north, the site reflects Hakone's long-standing identity as a quiet summer retreat with limited direct southern sunlight."
HAMS and, Studio renovated a 60-year-old single-story house on a forested Hakone hillside, retaining the rational plan centered on a living room. The house sits halfway up a mountain with Owakudani volcanic valley rising behind it and limited direct southern sunlight. The design preserved spatial clarity while updating the building for combined residence and guesthouse use, responding to rising construction costs by reusing the structure. Design emphasizes 'enclosure' across scales: valley, surrounding forest, original living core, and new architectural elements linked by a concentric spatial organization. A circular engawa and semi-circular canopy wrap interior rooms, a central doma, and an exterior balcony, creating an intermediary circulatory center.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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