This project took place in northern Hamamatsu, over a duplex house for two families —the mother and her son’s family— standing on its own in the midst of an industrial district lined with a number of factories. One of the two families was represented by the mother and nobody else, and the other: her son, his spouse and four children. We were required to work out an arrangement for this unbalanced inhabitant ratio as well as secure an open space for the families to get together. Along with the physical limitations of the site impeding reclamation of the external environment, we deliberated on the openness of the internal space and control of light with materials. *Duplex housing refers to a house inhabited by two families: parent family and child family. In such arrangement, two families support each other’s living by sharing a part or all of housing functions while also keeping private space to themselves. Light brings the family together The shared living room attracts the families as it gathers much light through the clerestory and becomes the hub of communication within the house. The light collected in the living room softens itself as it gets carried into the adjoining room, connecting the two independent spaces together and allowing the families to enjoy their private life while mildly feeling each other’s presence. The light produces interrelationships among two families distinctive of a duplex housing. Tatami mat and polycarbonate The entire floor of the shared living room is lined with tatami mats. The shared living room has six entrances connecting to other rooms and a spiral staircase connecting to the children’s room on the second floor which make the living room the epicenter of the house where different scenes of everyday life are met. Inhabitants could have just bypassed this space with wooden flooring or floor covered with some hard material; the tatami mats invite the families to sit, lie down, or be in whatever position they may feel comfortable with. Unexpected stay in the living room would produce natural interaction among the family members. The polycarbonate adopted for the wall surface of the living room transmits soft light to connect the spaces, creating a comfortable distance between the families at which they are able to enjoy their private life while feeling each other’s presence. This inventive combination of tatami mats and polycarbonate enhances the unique extensity of this duplex housing and helps conjure up interactions and interrelationships among the family members.
Dan Dan Dan House
2id Architects
Bronze

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Tetsuya Matsumoto
Head Architect
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8
5
8
7
7

Julie Payette
Cofounder and Partner
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Like this inventive combination of...
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7
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7.5

Florian Seidl
Design Manager
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An incredibly peaceful and relaxing...
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9
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8.75

Simona Franci
Principal and Design Director
at Fortebis
7
5
6
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5.75

Shannon Pringle
Interior Designer
at Bernardon
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5
4
6
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Judith Haase
Architect
at Gonzalez Haase AAS
9
8
8
7
8

Royce Epstein
Design Director
at Mohawk Group
Would like to see more domestic ele...
7
6
7
5
6.25

P.C.Ee
Editor & Creative Director
at industry+
5
5
5
5
5

Matteo Renna
Founder
at matteorenna | studio
8
8
9
7
8

Jelle Sapulete
Design Director
at Adidas
7
8
8
6
7.25

darren nolan
Associate
at Peter Marino Architect
7
7
7
6
6.75

alberto caiola
Design Director
at Alberto Caiola Studio
7
6
7
6
6.5

Justin Bridgland
Founding Partner
at More Design Office
Great balance of materials, but wou...
8
5
8
5
6.5
Location
Designer
Client
Private
Floor area
206 ㎡
Completion
2020