Library house in Tochigi, Japan, is an essay on simplicity in contemporary living by Japanese architect Shinichi Ogawa & Associates.
Main feature of the house is a six-metre high wall with bookshelves in the living and dining area of the house, highlighted by a long narrow skylight on top of the double height space.
All other private rooms surround the centrally located living area symmetrically in a square plan and form two enclosed courtyards.
Photos © courtesy of Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
Description by Shinichi Ogawa & Associates:
“The white house of one-story is located in a calm residential area. The symmetric elevation is composed of a white cubic volume as Living/Dining space, and a low volume that enclose the central cube.
Living/Dining space has 6m high ceiling, and its northern wall is a high and large book-shelf that will be completely filled with a lot of books.The opposite wall is open to the southern court yard, and takes in various natural elements. Moreover, the toplight makes it an impressive space giving sky view and natural light form the upper side. At the same time, the room realizes a comfortable environment, adjusting the quantity of light in accordance with the time or season by exterior awning.
The plan composition doesn’t have any corridor and it’s possible to access to the all rooms from the central room. The large court yard with a tree faces to Living/Dining, master bedroom, office, and the smaller one with a pool is for Living/Dining, bathroom and child room.
It is a house for the client who is a great reader. He can live enjoying his reading time in this quiet but rich space, feeling the change of season thanks to the closed court yards.”
Source: Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
