House M

Reunified big family

This residence started out from the idea of moving the families of three generations (i.e., the client couple, his children, and his parents) that were living separately in the city to a countryside. It is a house of co-living. In this post-growth era where low birth rate has set in, families that lived separately come to live together not only as a blood-related community but an economic community. Also, despite that they are a community, they have developed their respective life-patterns and values. Because this family is essentially different from the families of the past which share most of their time and space together, we sought for a house that can accommodate to a large family and the contemporary demands of its co-living patterns.

A house for three-generations

It is difficult to say for sure if this house is to be defined as a detached residence, a multi-household residence, or a shared house. In this respect, we think this may lead to a discovery of a new type of residence. It is not like a house which is shared by dividing space but like an Airbnb residence which is shared by dividing time.

The client’s parents think of this house as a secondary living place as they keep their own place in the city. Hence, they see the house as a residential ‘hut’ (wondumak) that supports farming activities, as they will stay at this place only during the busy farming seasons. On the other hand, the client couple loves to travel, and hence they are often away from their home. Thus, they perceive this house as a part of their trip—i.e., as a base camp to prepare for their next trip. For the children, they now have a new hometown to return to during their vacation.

A rich natural environment and an agriculture-related geographical condition shaped the image of the entire village. We thought of a house that has such an intimate relationship with agriculture to the point that agriculture would be integrated as one of the decisive elements for this architecture. Also, because this village was created spontaneously, there was a lack of public facilities. We wanted this personal residence to function as a ‘stage’ where the public element of a village and the private element of a family could integrate harmoniously together. In order to support the culture that depends highly on neighborhood exchanges and cooperation, an architectural method that can create an open relationship with its surroundings and respond to the agricultural adjustments throughout the changing seasons was sought.

Three Houses

By putting together each respective thought and perspective of the three generations on a ‘home’, a residence where families and village neighbors can come together to mingle was created. Through this space where matters regarding producing, sharing, and consuming food can go about seamlessly and easily, it was ultimately sought for the family and the house to become a part of this village landscape.

Adjoining House: A Self-Subsistent Farmhouse

We thought of developing the self-subsistent process itself—i.e., from the farm (production) to the dining table (consumption)—into a house. The balcony, which is an extension of the original concrete, is a space for handling the harvest. The crop can be washed with well and its tap that collects rainwater from the roof and dried by the drying rack under the eaves. The reception hall connected to the deck is where the harvested crop can be consumed with the neighbors and make preparations for the next production stage.

Main House: Meeting Place for the Families

Rather than a permanent living space, this house functions as a temporary meeting place for the families. We added the function as a meeting place for the families that can accommodate to each family as they come during the farming season, summer vacation, or after travels.

Small House: House of Summer