On the east side of Uruma-city, Okinawa, the site is situated on the hill which is 500m away from the ocean. Panoramic ocean view can be seen on the east side of the site. When standing at the site, we conceived that we had to create an architecture optimizing the beautiful location overlooking the sea.
To take advantage of the panoramic view, we planned to place large openings as much as possible on the east side of the house, while minimizing the openings on the south side of the house connected to the road. In addition, we planned to install the long walls extended in east-west direction in the parallel with the sea, so as to overlook the sea anywhere inside of the house. By the long walls, we clearly divide the house into three spaces which are the entrance, public and private spaces. These three spaces are positioned in parallel from the front side toward the back side of the site. The extra length of the walls makes it possible to enjoy the beautiful ocean from respective spaces of the house, while preventing any obstacle from coming into sight.
Especially in living/dining/kitchen space, we create the open space blurring the line between the inside and outside of the house.
At the openings of the space, we use the wooden frames for the windows extended from ceiling to floor. As a result, the internal space extends naturally toward outside, and the internal and external spaces are overlapped. We make difference in level on the floor in order to roughly subdivide the space into living, dining and kitchen area.
The difference in visual line caused by multilevel floor offers a variation to the space. Multilevel floor makes it possible for people standing in the kitchen whose floor level is 300m higher than that of living area to see the ocean across the living.
Regarding the exposed concrete finish for the ceilings and walls, we use plywood at the most part and partially use cedar planks to mold them. On the floor, we install the Genshouseki whose surface is chopped face and “rough” finish. We consider that the high potential of the space it self could be drawn out by applying the “rough” finish, which creates the universal and primitive space which is at one with nature while coping with nature.
Concerning the interior design, we select solid and textured materials and furniture, and install antique lightings, taking the balance between interior and the house into consideration. In the kitchen located at the center of the house, we install the island type kitchen integrated with the dining table so as to accommodate many people. The solid-single wooden plate is used for the top of the table. The elevating type cooking range hood is installed in order to decrease the presence of the kitchen instruments as much as possible. The color of the instruments are unified.
It is challenging work for an architect to build the house with the large openings facing to the ocean on the hill in Okinawa where many typhoons hit. However, we designed the house which can be realized only at the very site.
Architect: CLAIR Archi Lab
Project: House with Panoramic Ocean View
Location: Uruma-city, Okinawa, Japan
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