YNAS, a local architecture studio in Japan, has undertaken a remarkable renovation project, breathing new life into a traditional timber home in Miyakonojo. The studio's innovative approach involves the use of timber-framed canopies, transforming the interior and exterior spaces and enhancing the connection between the house and its surroundings.
The project, named House in Miyakonojo, was designed for a couple who decided to return to the wife's ancestral home in Miyakonojo after raising their children and changing careers. The original 1978 timber dwelling, while structurally sound, suffered from a cramped layout and underutilized external spaces, creating a sense of disconnection from the landscape and the local community.
YNAS's solution was to open up the home's boundaries. They removed walls and hedges, deepened the engawa (verandahs) with steel and timber canopies, and created an outdoor kitchen space with stunning views of the mountainous skyline. This design approach aimed to address the varying distances between the family and the community, demonstrating that no physical borders were being created.
The studio eliminated the traditional L-shaped corridor and partition walls, replacing them with a unified living, dining, and kitchen area. The original timber columns and varied floor finishes were retained to demarcate different zones. Timber-framed canopies with corrugated metal roofs were added to shelter the engawa spaces, providing shade and transforming underutilized perimeters into extensions of the interiors.
Yuko Numata, the studio's founder and principal architect, explained the redefinition of the Japanese concept of ambiguous boundaries through floor materials. The kitchen, dining, and eave spaces feature continuous mortar doma floors, strengthening the indoor-outdoor connection. In contrast, the living room and father's room use tatami mats made from authentic igusa (rush) from Kyushu, allowing residents to feel a connection to the land.
Traditional features were seamlessly integrated into the new spaces. 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 add a touch of authenticity. Firewood is stored in a low gabion wall made from local rubble, replacing a hedge that once obscured views from the road into the living room.
To the northwest, a new timber-framed storage area is clad in corrugated polycarbonate sheets, fronted by a steel and timber canopy sheltering a parking and outdoor workshop space. The home has also been made self-sustaining with the addition of solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system.
This project is part of a broader trend in Japan, with other architecture studios like Aatismo and Kuma&Elsa also experimenting with traditional timber-framed dwellings. YNAS's innovative use of timber-framed canopies and its focus on enhancing the connection between the house and its surroundings make it a standout example of contemporary Japanese architecture.
