Japanese architect yoshichika takagi has shared with us images of 'house k' that appeals to the residents by creating an interior outdoor environment. the residence is conceived as a collection of archetypal housing forms containing individual functions arranged within a covered exterior-like environment that references the urban fabric of a traditional fishing village interpreted on a smaller scale in the midst of suburban sprawl. the contrast between the larger envelope and the decentralized program is clearly seen with the difference in material: an all white shell with a large pitched roof encases the smaller natural wood-clad components.
The kitchen is left in the open space in the middle of the house as the common link and the social area of the construct, like a town square. the six surrounding volumes, arranged at different angles with different views to create the feel of a heterogeneous town, provide privacy within and additional spaces on their 'rooftops'. unlike the residential units that make up a larger-scale urban fabric, these components benefit from a protected 'exterior' area to use the partitions for secondary functions such as the full-height shelving that backdrops the living room or the concrete section holding a central wood-burning fireplace.