Hayato Komatsu Architects

View of the landscape through the atrium (boundary).

The site is located in a quiet residential area in the western part of Hiroshima City.
A river runs across the road on the west side of the site, and looking to the north, a beautiful mountain range spreads out beyond the cityscape. We considered the “boundary” to realize a lifestyle that incorporates a rich environment, while taking into consideration the noise from the road along the river and the nearby national highway, as well as the need to ensure privacy.
The road on the west side of the river is about 1m higher than the site, so when the main living space is on the first floor and openings are set up, the view from the road is all that one is concerned about, and the mountains in the distance cannot be seen. The first floor is protected from the surrounding environment by narrowing the openings and opening to the sky through the atrium. The atrium serves as a boundary to the exterior. The atrium serves as a boundary with the exterior, and the space and landscape seen from the second living room, bedrooms, and children's room are gently connected through the boundary. The exterior wall on the west side is bent into a fan shape, allowing a panoramic view of the landscape extending from the river to the mountains to be taken in. The wall columns at the points of inflection bear the horizontal forces, and a large opening is realized despite the wooden construction.
By setting the boundary between the house and the external environment in the interior space of the atrium, rather than in the external space of the garden or under the eaves, we believe we have created a moderate and soft boundary between the city and the landscape.