f house
kanagawa
japan
New House for a Senior Couple
The F House, located in a quiet, but dense residential neighborhood in Kanagawa, Japan, was built for a senior couple wanting a home for their “second phase of life.” After their children had left their nest, the couple wanted a new home where they can fully enjoy their lives among themselves. The house needed to be clean, affordable, and easy to maintain, all very important considerations for an elderly couple with limited income. We have prioritized the functionality of the simple floor plan with an ample second story deck. This strategy affords the couple flexible indoor-outdoor space, while maximizing natural light and air. The home’s north-south breeze corridor allows for effective cross ventilation, and the double-height entry space brings additional light from above to welcome them home. The traditional “tatami mat” rooms upstairs are loosely separated with paper shoji screen to accommodate multi-purpose use. The F House is a case-study for our ongoing pursuit of affordable custom home projects that utilize standard details and materials available in the Japanese housing industry.