Junichi Sampei／Ａ.Ｌ.Ｘ.

On the cherry blossom . Tokyo

source: courtesy of Junichi Sampei／Ａ.Ｌ.Ｘ. . photos: Kouichi Torimura

This house faces the park where two splendid cherry blossoms tree exists in facing of a front road on the north side.
As for a peripheral environment, there is a parking lot in facing of the private road on the east side, is a parking lot in the apartment house in the west side, and the timbered house of two stories has been built in the south. 
In a word, it is a place opened to the three directions.

This place is little sunshine because of the north direction.
It has the element of conflicting. This location is dark but openhearted and enclosed by an apartment house and a narrow house though the view is good.
The park in front of the site was not a park where the environment was good and there was a graveyard, too, so the view of the outside was not good. 

the most impressive thing is that the comfort of ground level isn't so good, but one is that you could expect to become in good environment dramatically from a part beyond the height with that.　
of course, two cherry trees play a important role in that.
then, it proposed the manner of living that applied the focus to the relation to cherry blossoms that was able to be called an arboreal life.
the main living spaces of the living room, kitchen, and utility, etc. were concentrated on the
third floor, and the maximum architectural area was secured.
it was thought that shortening the distance feeling of a grand level and the third floor in the sense was necessary to pass this composition. therefore, the entrance was set up in the mezzanine on the external stairs, each room tied in the spiral staircase, and it arranged it three-dimensionally.
it became a composition to which the floor space decreased near ground since the third floor was placed at the center of the life scene.

the volume of the third floor secures the view and the lighting,by the thing made a tunnel space that runs through the south north. however, it was thought that it wanted to do to a place near an external space like the roof garden in above all rather than the room.
moreover, the third floor moved cherry blossoms in the stared direction to bring the relation between cherry blossoms and the house close as much as possible.
the gap generated by this thing contributes to the lighting in the under floor as a light from　ceiling .
window s and doors of the first floor and the second floor is small, and the reason that is the shut space is the results of guarding the the privacy of one's home such as bedrooms.
it's also big reason that comfort in outside space to the level of the 3rd floor wasn't judged good.
scenery and light are partially taken in small windows, a slit, a high side light, a top light, and small window for ventilation that integrates with the outside wall until reaching the third floor where the cherry blossoms tree is seen. and, the presentiment that arrives at the above part floor has been given to an internal space.

The composition that should be called a reverse-set back who attenuates this shape from the upper part looks like the tree of two cherry blossoms that expand the leaf as a result for light and grow up to length.
The shape that floats on air for the light, the comfort, and cherry blossoms shows house as existence like another tree.

SAMPEI jun-ichi

On the cherry blossom
Architects :Junichi Sampei／Ａ.Ｌ.Ｘ.
Structral engineers:Kume Structural Research & Development Office
Photographer: Kouichi Torimura
Location:Tokyo Japan　　
Structure: Reinforced steel ;1basement and 3stories
Maximum height9,980mm
Site area: 71.13m2
Built area: 46.32m2
Total floor area: 85.32m2
basement area:9.36 m2
1st floor area: 8.59m2
2nd floor area: 27.31m2