Thinking about floods and climate change. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects
31/01/2023.
[Maibara City - Shiga Prefecture] Japan
metalocus, ANTONIO CORREDERA
metalocus, ANTONIO CORREDERA
Japanese architecture studio Ushijima Architects was commissioned to design a small timber house located near Biwa-ko, in Shiga Prefecture, the largest freshwater lake in Japan, the U-House sits on an area of former wetland used for growing rice that was filled in after the Second World War.
The project takes into consideration the environmental changes that the global warming process accelerates, projecting the house with a ground floor as an open space formed by a structure of wooden pillars, with a recreation area or greenhouse, with slightly elevated access to mitigate the risk of potential flooding.
The project takes into consideration the environmental changes that the global warming process accelerates, projecting the house with a ground floor as an open space formed by a structure of wooden pillars, with a recreation area or greenhouse, with slightly elevated access to mitigate the risk of potential flooding.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
Site plan. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
Ground floor plan. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
First plan. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
Section. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
Section. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
Section. U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects.
Ushijima Architects designed the project with the floods in mind and the idea of a landscape of reeds, as a response to a situation that over time its neighbours seem to have forgotten thanks to improved flood control technology.
The possibility of a return of the floods is real, due to different causes, such as global warming or that the area will be covered with reeds if the population of the area continues to decrease and the water level from Biwa-ko increases.
For all these reasons, the project places the complete program of the house, bedroom, kitchen, and living room, on the first floor, leaving storage and leisure areas for the access floor.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
The possibility of a return of the floods is real, due to different causes, such as global warming or that the area will be covered with reeds if the population of the area continues to decrease and the water level from Biwa-ko increases.
For all these reasons, the project places the complete program of the house, bedroom, kitchen, and living room, on the first floor, leaving storage and leisure areas for the access floor.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
U-House In Irie by Ushijima Architects. Photograph by Shinya Tsujita.
Project description by Ushijima Architects
This area was a part of Biwako (which is the largest lake in Japan). It had changed to an independent lake, been buried for making rice filed after World War, and become a residential area recently. It means here is always moving naturally and artificially.
It had been attacked by flood time and again after being buried, but the memory of this is forgotten because the technology of flood control had been improved and a lot of new residences which are so normal that can be seen everywhere in Japan have been built. However, there is a possibility that this area will be attacked by floods again because of global warming. Or it will be covered with reeds if the population of this area continues to decrease and the Biwako’s water level is lower. We can’t anticipate the future of this site.
So, I designed this house, being conscious of two elements, which are ‘flood and reeds’ in this site. The first floor composed of LDK, bedroom, bathroom, inner-terrace, and so on are supported by diagonal and vertical wood. This structure is light and melted into reeds. The level of the floor escaped from the flood. In addition to this, it is kept from the strong moisture of this area. The atmosphere is a little closed from the outside but warm. It is something like an ancient warehouse.
On the other side, the ground floor consists of the piloti, and the room is like a globe house mainly. The piloti is wide and high enough to make a bonfire. The room like a globe house is so bright and open to the outside to grow a lot of plants. This means two floors have different images and atmospheres.
The materials of this house are mainly Japanese cedar and cypress which are gathered around the Biwako area, although it’s not easy to control and unify the texture of these, to consume locally. I hope though the land is changing, this house will be steady and floating in the reeds of water like a boat.
More information
Architects
Ushijima Architects. Lead architect.- Takahiro Ushijima.
Area
Site area.- 202.34m².
Building area.- 59.62m².
Total floor area.- 124.83m².
Building area.- 59.62m².
Total floor area.- 124.83m².
Dates
2022.
Location
Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Photography
Takahiro Ushijima Ushijima Architects
Ushijima Architects is an architecture studio founded in 2016 by the architect Takahiro Ushijima (Born in the city of Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, 1985).
The studio works mainly in the Tokyo area and has two locations, in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture and in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. They carry out projects anywhere in Japan, mainly in the Kinki, Chubu and Kanto regions. In addition to architectural projects, they are also involved in regional planning and community development through the Nagahama Kaiko Regional Project Center.
The studio works mainly in the Tokyo area and has two locations, in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture and in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. They carry out projects anywhere in Japan, mainly in the Kinki, Chubu and Kanto regions. In addition to architectural projects, they are also involved in regional planning and community development through the Nagahama Kaiko Regional Project Center.
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