- If you're planning to build a Japanese home, first decide whether the major style of the home plan will be traditional or contemporary. A traditional home will reflect centuries of architectural influences such as the importance of the elevated porch on the perimeter of a home. A contemporary home will have elements of the past, but will also have novel concepts, such as use of the most current design techniques ensuring energy efficiency and reduced environmental effect.
- A traditional home has a sense of transition even before you enter. Outside the home is a raised veranda that offers a transition from the garden to the home's interior. When you step inside the sliding doors, a place is available for shoes and umbrella. As you move through each room of the home, you will see interior sliding doors of wood panels filled with heavy paper. These provide a light, but effective barrier between rooms. The exterior might include post-and-beam construction and a tile roof with exaggerated eaves to keep the rain off the veranda.
- Japanese homes tend to economize on space. Whether you consider traditional or contemporary homes, a Japanese home calls for a tatami, or a living room that serves as a bedroom at night. If space is limited, built-in features such as shelving and storage spaces that keep the family's things out of common living areas are common.
- You also approach the home building process differently in Japanese residences. A timber wood frame is covered first with a roof to keep out the rain. Unlike a concrete block house in the U.S., the home's interior divisions are made later. Walls are easily moved because they are usually just wood partitions. Using lightweight sliding doors both outside and inside make it easy to meet home ventilation needs at different times of the year. When the weather is mild, for example, you can open all doors to let a natural breeze flow through the home.
previous post