Azuma House

Joanna Lo Takasumi Inoue

1941 born in Osaka, September 13 as a brother of twins

1966 travelled America Europe Africa and Asia for 4 years using the fund he earns by interior design and furniture

1969 established Tadao Ando architectural laboratory

1976 the work “Azuma House” was rated highly. He had won the prize of Japan architect society as the first person to achieve it with small scale house but not public architecture.

1987 Yale University guest professor

1988 Columbia University guest professor

1989 Harvard University guest professor

1990s increase pubic architecture, art museum, and the whole of Japan and oversea

1991 One-man exhibition in The museum of Modern Art, New York

1993 One-man exhibition in Pompidou Centre

1997 take office as a professor in University of Tokyo

2000 establish Setouchi olive foundation

2002 University of Southern California guest professor

2003 retired University of Tokyo and become Professors emeritus

2005 Achieve eternal name in University of Tokyo

2008 Become Osaka prefecture politic adviser

Architect : Tadao AndoLocation : Osaka, Japan Date : 1976 Building :Type row house, small house Construction System: Concrete Climate : Semitropical Context : Dense urban Style : Modern

DetailsSite area: 57 sq metersBuilding area: 34 sq metersTotal floor area: 65 sq metersTerm of planning: 1/1975-8/1975Term of construction: 10/1975-2/1976Site area: 57.28 sq. metersTotal floor area: 64.72 sq. meters

Site Context: Azuma House with its surrounding

Site Plan

- A simple block building which is inserted in a narrow street of row houses.- Immediately noticeable because of its blank concrete façade punctuated only by a doorway.- Barely noticed as a house designed by a world famous architect.

Site Context: Azuma House with its surrounding

Tone drawings

Original Sketches

Light and Shadow Drawings

“In all my works, light is an important controlling factor,” says Ando.

The use of light and space to create a spiritual feeling and connection with nature is Ando’s architectural signature.

Interplay between light and dark.

Courtyard becomes an integral part of the house’s circulation system.It is entirely wrapped up with concrete, no greenery.

Three equally sized rectangular volumes:Two enclosed volumes of interior spaces separated by an open courtyard. Windowless facades.

To allow natural light penetrates is only through the courtyard. No interaction with the surroundings.

A bridge spans the courtyard and joins with a side staircase that descends to the courtyard.The courtyard completely open to the sky above.

Introducing nature elements “light, wind, rain water”

Bringing lifestyle out of chaos

SimplicityHis designs generally incorporate minimal ornamentation on the walls of the building.Minimal composition of boxes creates the front facade.

Experience nature without distractions of city.Introduce natural phenomena that are being forgotten in the city.

Enclosing geometric walls of thick concrete.Create private barrier between the urban street and interior living space.

Ando says, “I do not believe architecture should speak too much. It should remain silent and let nature in the guise of sunlight and wind speak.”

Powerful concrete walls with light and nature to create a deep sense of peace.

Ando writes, “At times walls manifest a power that borders on the violent. They have the power to divide space, transfigure place, and create new domains. Walls are the most basic elements of architecture, but they can also be the most enriching.”

MaterialityAndo’s staple materials: concrete Reinforced concrete defines spaces in unique new ways that allow constantly changing patterns of light and wind.

TactilityThe light and shadows conditions on the façade interpreted the concrete wall seems to be soft.

From a functional viewpoint, the courtyard forces the inhabitant to endure the occasional hardships.

At the same time, the open courtyard is capable of becoming the house’s vital organ, introducing the everyday life and assimilating precious stimuli such as changes in nature.

With the exception of the kitchen/dining/bath grouping, one must go outside to pass between rooms even during the winter and rainy seasons.

If one had to go to the bathroom at night, one had to go outside through the courtyard.

Ando acknowledged, as his critics pointed out, that this was inconvenient.

In the courtyard, nature presents a different presents a different aspect of itself each day.

The courtyard is the nucleus of life that unfolds within the house.

Ando considers Azuma House to be the “point of origin” for his subsequent work.

His approach – “to connect the art of building to the art of living” – became his goal.

In the case of Azuma House, the life to be lived was that of busy urban dweller whose opportunities to experience nature were few, but each of his subsequent designs have met the same challenge.