Yanagawa Cho Residence is a private home for a family of four, situated in a residential neighborhood in Japan. A semi-transparent polycarbonate wall was installed along the edge of the house, creating a floating effect that visually separates the home from its surroundings. This floating wall acts as a partition, yet maintains a direct connection between the house and the environment around it.
The area above the wall is enclosed, preventing visibility from the outside, while the space beneath remains open and connected to the external environment. This use of floating walls defines spatial characteristics uniquely. After carefully considering room placement and their interaction with the surroundings, the design gradually took shape into its final form.
The kitchen and dining area are centrally located within the home, surrounded by various rooms with differing floor levels, all interconnected without walls. More private spaces are placed on higher or semi-basement floors, yet every room maintains a connection, allowing occupants to remain aware of each other’s presence throughout the house.
Beneath the floating wall, a curtain can be drawn to open or close off the external space as needed. This feature transforms the nature of enclosed areas, enabling users to modify the interaction between the house and the surrounding community. The external area can shift between public and private settings through this curtain, linking the outdoors with the interior to foster an open, vibrant living environment. In this way, the residents become an integral part of the outside space, which effectively serves as their garden.
Project Drawings
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Architectural Design: Taiga Kasai and Chong Aehyang Architecture / KACH
Area: 173 square meters
Year of Completion: 2020
Photography: Vincent Hecht
Suppliers: C.I. TAKIRON Corporation, Serge Ferrari, Tsukiboshi Shoji
Structural Engineer: Yuko Mihara
Textile Design: Yuri Himuro
Location: Japan
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