Hayato Komatsu Architects

The sequence of the view and the living led by the difference in elevation.
This house is located in a residential area that was built along the slope of a hillside in the middle of a mountain forest. Hiroshima City has many such residential areas, and the streetscape is gradually being updated as the population ages. The site has an unobstructed view from the east to the south in the foreground. To the east, there is also an old-growth forest left over from land development, and the distance between the site and the neighboring land was kept at a reasonable level.

The site originally had a 1.5-meter difference in elevation in the center, so four floors were shifted by half a story to create a skip-floor cross-section, creating a gradual connection between rooms. In addition, skylights were placed on the stairs connecting the floors to ensure stable light and ventilation through the upper and lower floors.

The living room on the first and fifth floors opens to the outside, connecting the interior and exterior horizontally. The bathroom on the second floor overlooks a virgin forest, protected by trees in the foreground, while the second living room on the 2.5F offers a panoramic view of the sky and the city of Hiroshima.

The four levels of the flooring, which are derived from the difference in elevation of the site, create a variety of places, and the richness of life unfolds in a sequence with the various views from these places.