Karuizawa House, Home of Maple Leaves, Nagano Prefecture Residential Design, Japanese Architect
Karuizawa Residence: House of Maple Leaves
New Japanese Home design in Nagano Prefecture by Edward Suzuki Associates, Japan
26 Jun 2012
House in Karuizawa Award News
Edward Suzuki Associates wins “Green GOOD DESIGN Award 2012” by Chicago Athenaeum Architecture and Design Museum for House of Maple Leaves in Karuizawa.
21 May 2012
House of Maple Leaves
Location: Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Design: Edward Suzuki Associates
photo : Yasuhiro Nukamura, from Edward Suzuki Associates
This is a villa situated about an hour’s rapid train ride from Tokyo in a mountain resort of Karuizawa, Japan. It is basically a wooden structure with the peripheral balconies in steel. The design is adapted from passive energy principles applied in the world-famous Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. The only artificially operated system is the radiant hot-water heating embedded in the floor, running the entire length of the peripheral fenestration with heat pump air conditioning units as supplements just in case.
photos : Yasuhiro Nukamura, from Edward Suzuki Associates
Legal and binding design guidelines in the area required a roof slope of 1:5 minimum, eave length of 5oo mm minimum, and a limited selection of exterior coloring.
photos : Yasuhiro Nukamura, from Edward Suzuki Associates
Natural passive energy means include but are not limited to the following:
1) exterior insulation with
2) air circulation paths in between exterior and interior finishes
3) cross ventilation under the ground floor to protect against humidity
4) overall cross ventilation with openable windows
5) complete fenestration on the south with
6) airtight, high-insulation composite sash with
7) double-pane glass
8) allowing low winter sun penetration and blocking high summer sun
9) use of deciduous trees in the south similarly allowing low winter sun penetration and blocking high summer sun
10) extended eaves to provide shade
11) double floor living space to act as passive solar collector
12) fireplace in the living space to burn trash
13) ceiling fans to circulate warm air
14) highly insulating natural Japanese stucco (with embedded maple leaves)
15) use of laminated bamboo instead of wood for floors, built-in furniture, cabinets, doors, and closets, as bamboo is very fast-growing (and hence more ecological than wood) and profusely abundant in Japan)
16) use of fluorescent and LED lights
17) corrugated metal exterior finish for easy maintenance and sustainability
18) reflective silver roofing for insulation and temperature control
photos : Yasuhiro Nukamura, from Edward Suzuki Associates
House of Maple Leaves, Karuizawa House – Building Information
Location: Karuizawa, Japan
Design Period: Apr – Nov 2009
Construction Period: Dec 2009 – Nov 2010
Structure: Wood Frame (SE)
Site Area: 6182.97m2
Ground Coverage: 512.00m2
Floor Areas: 1F 402.50m2, 2F 274.75m2
Total Floor Area: 677.25m2
photo : Yasuhiro Nukamura, from Edward Suzuki Associates
House of Maple Leaves images / information from Edward Suzuki Associates
Location: Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, eastern Asia
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