Ike

House for moKA architectural design office

This house creates an architectural design by having skins with various functions on the base cube. The perforated block promotes ventilation while restricting the line of sight. The vertical and horizontal grids block the line of sight by manipulating the angle, but you can see the roadside trees from inside. The glass windows on the curtain wall reflect the line of sight and strong sunlight during the day, but at night the indoor lights leak out to the city and contribute to the cityscape. From the window, residents can feel the changing seasons such as fresh greenery and cherry blossoms.

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Download Press Kit № 110168 House for moKA architectural design office by Hatsuo Morimoto to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.

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Ike by Hatsuo Morimoto

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House by Hatsuo Morimoto

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Hatsuo Morimoto Ike

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Hatsuo Morimoto House

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Ike House Press Releases

Press releases tailored for Ike are available in the languages: English.

Ike House Media Articles

We provide articles ready for publication on Ike, offered in several languages: Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, Hindi, German, French, Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian.

Unique Properties

The concrete of the outer wall skin of the building is grained. This kind of skin is expressed by pasting a cedar board inside the formwork and pouring concrete into it. By providing this concrete wall three-dimensionally, it gives a sense of dynamism to the architecture. By changing the composition of the surface, it becomes a sculptural accent of the overall form. These "deviations" provide space for light and wind to enter and exit, and also provide benefits to the interior space.

Tags

Architecture, House, Concrete, Curtain wall, Garden, Japanese

Production Technology

As a designer, I am also aware of the cityscape in this residential area. The exterior material should have been fashion-independent. I used universal wood grained concrete exposed finishes, garage door wood, curtain wall glass, and stone fence blocks. These have a solid design that directly conveys the texture of the material. In a densely populated urban area, it contributes to the formation of a good cityscape without being eccentric.

Design Challenge

Neighboring houses need to be considerate of each other because they stand urgently in this environment of the city. The shape of this house is offset toward the upper floors so that the neighboring house does not limit all sunlight. Furthermore, it is designed to acquire the necessary living space while suppressing the height, which is a legal constraint.

Project Duration

This project started in Nagoya in October 2016, started construction in May 2017, and was completed in January 2019.

Operation Flow

This house occupies about 70% of the land. I try to encourage indirect light and ventilation into the room by setting up gardens as pockets in three places. As a result, the residents can see the greenery arranged there from the interior space of the house.

Research

Since the Meiji era, 150 years ago, feudal regulations have been removed, and it has become possible to own land and build houses according to financial resources. The site in the city area is becoming more fragmented, the distance to the neighboring house is becoming closer, and privacy is becoming more conscious. The property awareness of land and buildings is increasing, and people tend to be nervous about actions at the border. But housing should not be too closed. The task this time is a perfect balance of the transparency of the various skins that architecture wears.

Inspiration

The urban areas of Japan are often densely populated with houses. It is necessary to think about the architectural space in the limited site, even though it is imminent with the neighboring house. How to arbitrate with the surrounding environment is an important design issue. Residents want to hide their private life, but it's stuffy to be closed. Therefore, we focused on materials that have various transmission functions on the exodermis.

Project Overview

Ike House has been a Bronze winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

Image Credits

For design images and photos please credit Hatsuo Morimoto.

Bronze Recognition

Hatsuo Morimoto was recognized with the coveted Bronze A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work Ike House.

Hatsuo Morimoto Press Releases

Numerous press releases on Hatsuo Morimoto and their achievements are at your disposal, inviting press members to use them freely in their coverage. Now available: Immediate access to 2 press releases for journalists.

Ike: A Unique Urban House Design by Hatsuo Morimoto

Discover the innovative urban house design "Ike" by Hatsuo Morimoto, a residential architect from Nagoya city, Japan, awarded Bronze in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2021.

Hatsuo Morimoto Newsroom

Dive into Hatsuo Morimoto Newsroom to explore celebrated designs and projects.