ninkipen! 4n House

ninkipen! completed in Ikoma city, on a plot reclaimed after the wake of the 3.11 earthquake in Japan, a house elevated on pilots to exploit the view and to create a children’s playground.

4n is a house for a family of four in Ikoma city.

The site had been divided into two levels with a retaining wall, and vehicle access was to the lower level only. The wall was removed, connecting the two levels with a gentle slope, and let the house float above it.

By elevating the house on pilotis the view can be enjoied from every room and the outdoor space can be used as a children’s playground and the entrance porch. The window rail on the second floor is cantilevered to allow wind flow inside.

The kitchen counter is a thin concrete slab on a timber frame and maybe it is suitable to call it just a flower stand.

The third floor is a cramped but has free flowing atmosphere like an attic.