Three Houses
EASTERN design office

Photo © Koichi Torimura

A key to open "my house", which is standing along a narrow street of a crowded town, is designed as a key itself on the facade of this house. A house can be called a key, which will open up your life happily. Such a small key, this house is a key!
　
It is a small house for four people and two cats. It has only 100 square meters of floor space. It is standing alone in the corner of a small parking lot like a table left behind at the seaside.

Photo © Koichi Torimura

The facade is marked by a window shaped like a key.
Mortar with sumi ink is applied to the exterior wall.
Simple color coding. Red and purple are used as an accent.

The triangle roof.
Random arrangement of small windows.
The edge to make the shape of this house clearer.


Photo © Koichi Torimura

Photo © Koichi Torimura

There is a thin steel eave which is fixed to the facade of this house as if it is floating, and a key-shaped slit like a "picture", crossing over the eave.  A red wine-colored door.  These are laid out like a beautiful pattern designed on a jewel box.


Photo © Koichi Torimura

Photo © Koichi Torimura

You sometimes will see a cat lying by the window at this house. You wonder what she is watching.  Do you still have a naive heart with a key to open this house?


Photo © Koichi Torimura

Sketch courtesy EASTERN design office

Three houses by EASTERN design office. The poetic descriptions are selected excerpts from the architects Anna Nakamura and Taiyo Jinno texts.

Three Houses:
Keyhole House
A House Awaiting Death
Mountain/Opening House