YNAS, a local architecture studio, has breathed new life into a traditional Japanese timber home in Miyakonojo, Japan. The project, named House in Miyakonojo, was designed for a couple who decided to return to the wife's ancestral home after raising their children and changing careers. The studio's innovative approach focused on opening up the home's boundaries, creating a seamless connection between the interior and exterior spaces.
The original home, built in 1978, had a cramped layout and underutilised external spaces, leading to a sense of disconnection from the surrounding landscape and community. YNAS addressed this by removing walls and hedges, deepening the engawa (verandas) with steel and timber canopies, and creating an outdoor kitchen space with stunning views of the mountainous skyline.
The studio's founder and principal architect, Yuko Numata, explains the design philosophy: "A major design directive was how to handle the varying distances between the family and the community. Instead of closing off the home, I took a paradoxical approach, demonstrating that no physical borders were being created. Neighbours can catch glimpses of the family enjoying the outdoor kitchen or see signs of life, such as smoke rising from the stove. This reconnects the house with the landscape."
The interior transformation was equally remarkable. YNAS eliminated the traditional L-shaped corridor and partition walls, creating a unified living, dining, and kitchen space. The original timber columns and varied floor finishes were retained, adding character to the open-plan design. New timber-framed canopies with corrugated metal roofs were added to shelter the engawa spaces, providing shade and extending the interior living areas.
Numata highlights the importance of floor materials in redefining the Japanese concept of ambiguous boundaries: "The kitchen, dining, and eave spaces are continuous mortar doma floors, strengthening the indoor-outdoor connection. The living room and father's room utilise tatami mats made from authentic rush, allowing residents to feel a connection to the land."
Traditional features were seamlessly integrated into the new spaces, such as a kamado (wood-fired stove) in the outdoor kitchen, an irori (sunken hearth) in the indoor kitchen, and a steel wood-fired bath in the wet room. The firewood is stored in a low gabion wall made from local rubble, replacing a hedge that once obscured views from the road.
To the northwest, a new timber-framed storage area with a corrugated polycarbonate roof was added, featuring a steel and timber canopy that shelters a parking and outdoor workshop space. The home was also made self-sustaining with the addition of solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system.
YNAS' innovative use of timber-framed canopies and open-plan design has transformed the House in Miyakonojo, creating a harmonious blend of traditional Japanese architecture and modern functionality. The project serves as a testament to the studio's ability to reconnect people with their surroundings, offering a unique and captivating living experience.
