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Traditional Japanese design solutions for the modern minimum dwelling. January 2012
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Page 1: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

Traditional Japanese design solutions for the modern minimum dwelling.

January 2012

Page 2: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

Contents

List of Illustrations………………………………………………………………… i

Abstract…..………………………………………………………………………… 1

Chapter One: The Compact City…………………………………………………… 5

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….... 6

The Japanese Model………………………………………………………………... 7

Historical Influence……………………………………………………………….... 10

Limitations or Opportunities……………………………………………………….. 11

Local Factors……………………………………………………………………….. 12

Emerging Trends………………………………………………………………….... 13

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….. 15

Chapter Two: Traditional Japan and the Relationship between Space, Nature and

Human presence…………………………………………………………………..... 16

Introduction………………………………………………………………………… 17

Flexibility using Fusuma and Shoji Screens……………………………………….. 17

Human Proportion and the Tatami Mat Culture……………………………….……19

Nature’s View……………………………………………………………………… 22

Material World……………………………………………………………………... 23

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….. 26

Chapter Three: Contemporary Japan and its influence on Western Society……...... 28

Introduction………………………………………………………………………… 29

Page 3: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

Contents

Material; the Essence of Architecture - Case Study One: The Plastic House……… 29

The Natural Way - Case Study Two: Engawa House……………………………… 33

Go West – Japanese influence on Western Society………………………………... 36

Frank Lloyd Wright………………………………………………………....…….... 37

Tadao Ando………………………………………………………………………… 39

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….. 42

Chapter Four: Ireland’s Own – The Ballagh House……………………………….. 43

Introduction…………………………………………………………………...…….. 44

Three is a magic number……………………………………………………………. 44

Spatial Layout………………………………………………………………………. 46

Material Simplicity………………………………………………………….………. 47

“Detail defines Space”………………………………………………………………. 52

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...… 52

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………... 53

Appendices……………………………………………………………………..…… 57

Appendix A………………………………………………………………..………... 58

Appendix B…………………………………………………………………………. 68

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………… 73

Page 4: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

i

List of Illustrations

Figure 1: The City of Tokyo at dusk illustrating its densely populated zones.

http://www.citypictures.org/r2873.search.htm. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 2: The City of Sydney showing Darling Harbour.

http://www.sydneymedia.com.au/asset/2/images/1_Darling_Harbour_

before.jpg. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 3: An example of kysho jutaku; the 'Reflection of Mineral' house by

architect Yasuhiro Yamashita.

http://inventorspot.com/articles/reflection_mineral_house_proves_urban_d

esign_hard_18970. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 4: Traditional painted Fusuma screens in Ninna-Ji.

http://www.fotopedia.com/wiki/Fusuma#!/items/4d41h58ro27a6-

g2gu71twI94. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 5: Traditional tailor’s workshop with shoji screens.

http://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/tailor-workshop. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 6: Traditional tatami mats in a guest room.

http://japansheartandculture.blogspot.com/2010/06/tokonoma.html.

Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 7: Examples of different layouts for traditional Japanese tatami mats.

http://www.tatamiuk.co.uk/tatami_FITTING.html. Accessed 4th

January

2012.

Figure 8: A tsuboniwa or small courtyard garden in Kyo-machiya at Yoshida-ke

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6307647. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 9: An interior courtyard garden in the Ogaki House in Gifu, Japan designed

by Katsutoshi Sasaki & Associates.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/12619/katsutoshi-sasaki-

ogaki-house.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 10: The exterior of the Plastic House in Tokyo designed by Kengo Kuma

http://kkaa.co.jp/works/plastic-house/. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Page 5: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

ii

List of Illustrations

Figure 11: The thin FRP or fibreglass reinforced plastic beams used for the exterior

walls, were chosen by the architect for it’s resemblance to bamboo.

http://kkaa.co.jp/works/plastic-house/. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 12: The flexible ground floor space acts as a living room, kitchen, dining area

and photographic studio.

http://kkaa.co.jp/works/plastic-house/. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 13: The private street façade of the Engawa House.

http://engawahouse.blogspot.com/2010/07/engawa-house-tezuka-

architects.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 14: The open rear façade of the Engawa House.

http://engawahouse.blogspot.com/2010/07/engawa-house-tezuka-

architects.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 15: The glazed sliding doors that open the house almost completely to the

small garden.

http://www.imgspark.com/image/view/all/1210576/. Accessed 4th

January

2012.

Figure 16: The exterior of the Imperial Hotel with its many terraces and courtyard

gardens.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870402620457526743334

4670608.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 17: The Azuma Row house in Osaka, situated on a very narrow strip of land.

http://www.ananasamiami.com/2011/01/row-house-azuma-house-by-

tadao-ando.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 18: The open central courtyard of the Azuma House.

http://www.ananasamiami.com/2011/01/row-house-azuma-house-by-

tadao-ando.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 19: The open air bridge and outdoor steps in the Azuma House.

http://www.ananasamiami.com/2011/01/row-house-azuma-house-by-

tadao-ando.html. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Page 6: Traditional Japanese Design Solutions for the Modern Minimum Dwelling

iii

List of Illustrations

Figure 20: The ground floor and first floor plans of the Ballagh House.

http://archiseek.com/2003/boyd-cody-architects-ballagh-house-temple-

cottages-dublin/ . Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 21: The existing façade of the terraced houses which was maintained.

http://archiseek.com/2003/boyd-cody-architects-ballagh-house-temple-

cottages-dublin/. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

Figure 22. View of the interior courtyard garden.

Number 3 Temple Cottages, Broadstone, Dublin 7. December 2011.

Photograph by author.

Figure 23: Photo taken from the terrace shows the glazed master bedroom as well as

the acid etched glass panel to the right of the photo.

Number 3 Temple Cottages, Broadstone, Dublin 7. December 2011.

Photograph by author.

Figure 24: Photo of the plywood entrance hall.

Number 3 Temple Cottages, Broadstone, Dublin 7. December 2011.

Photograph by author.

Figure 25: View from the studio into the courtyard and kitchen showing the use of

concrete in the three spaces.

Number 3 Temple Cottages, Broadstone, Dublin 7. December 2011.

Photograph by author.

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Abstract

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The idea of minimum dwelling is not a new trend but it is one which has renewed

importance in today’s society. Lifestyle changes as well as population growth have

had a huge impact on living spaces and environments. Gary Hustwit’s documentary

Urbanized illustrates how over half of the world’s population are now living in urban

areas and it is expected that this will rise to seventy-five percent by the year 2050.2

Thus with more and more people living in cities and urban centres, the need for

compact homes increases. Rural dwellings are scarcer than ever before with limited

space and awkward building sites a common occurrence.

This thesis aims to investigate the issues arising from compact and minimum living

spaces and the resultant flexible design solutions. It will use Japan as a case study and

will focus on traditional Japanese design solutions and how they are interpreted for

modern living in an urban context as well as the influence of Japanese design

worldwide.

The initial chapters of this research paper will focus on the idea of a compact city and

proposes Tokyo as an example of an urban centre with high density living. We aim to

investigate the historical and economic reasons that have permitted overcrowding to

occur and to assess the impact a transforming Japanese demographic and domestic

structure has had on a more traditional approach to habitual design.

Chapter Two will focus on the features of the traditional Japanese dwelling and its

related customs. Our enquiry will discuss the traditional use of human scale and

proportion and how this has influenced the spatial layout. Simultaneously we will

establish the significant relationship between nature and the home as well as evaluate

the materials and construction methods which were particular to the native Japanese.

Shifting our study in Chapter Three we will concentrate on the influence these

traditional variations have had on contemporary designs. Modern interpretations of

these traditional characteristics are often found in high density urban regions. This

chapter will focus in particular on two case studies in Tokyo: The Plastic House and

2 Gary Hustwit, ‘Urbanized’, http://urbanizedfilm.com/about/. Accessed 4

th January 2012.

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the Engawa House. By establishing the significance of these designs we will move on

to examine the influence that Japanese design has had on the urban Western world.

Through briefly looking at the influence of key designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright

and Tadao Ando, we will explore how these traditional Japanese principles have

spread worldwide.

The final chapter will concentrate on the analysis of a modern Irish dwelling which

exhibits Western adaptations of Japanese influences. Located in inner city Dublin, the

Ballagh house displays many of the characteristics of traditional Japanese dwellings

and gives us a relevant context in contemporary Ireland.

Our conclusion will reflect on the successful examples of Japanese design solutions

for contemporary compact living. By focusing on the modern interpretations, we will

be able to evaluate the traditional principles which have had a significant influence on

Western society. This will determine the answer to our research question, whether

traditional Japanese design solutions can be successfully adapted to the modern

minimum dwelling.

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Chapter One:

The Compact City

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The prominent landscape designer David N Buck believes that ‘as the world

increasingly realises the importance of its natural environment, and makes further

moves to protect it, the pressure will continue to maximize the potential of all cities

where more of the world’s population will reside.’3 Cities are considered the centres

of human activity and they are hugely significant in the argument for a sustainable

future. The pivotal role they play will pose great challenges and exciting opportunities

in terms of design that will relate to environmental concerns as well as economic and

social influences. According to Elkin et al ‘Urban centres are crucial to the

functioning of the world economic order.’4 Hence urban areas become a focal point

for designers as it is argued that the form and density of our cities dictates our future.

In particular the argument that the compact city is the most sustainable form is one

that has come to the fore in recent years. In order to illuminate our argument it is

important that we define a ‘compact city’?

Elkin et al define the compact city as a high density metropolis with centralised

activity and development concentrated within its boundaries. In ‘Reviving the City’

Elkin et al further suggest that ‘Planners should aim for compactness and integration

of land uses’ and they encourage concentrated use of space in the city.5 Other theories

describe the compact city in contrast to other settlement patterns and discuss the

variations between high density land use and reclaiming brown field areas.6

Undoubtedly a major advantage of a compact city is that its dense urban form allows

for reduced energy and transport emissions as destinations are nearer and more

accessible. Obviously this does vary greatly from city to city and country to country

but for the purpose of this research we will define the compact city as having the

following benefits:

less car dependency, low emissions, reduced energy consumption, better

public transportation services, increased overall accessibility, the re-use of

infrastructure and previously developed land, the rejuvenation of existing

urban areas and urban vitality, a high quality of life, the preservation of green

space and a milieu for enhanced business and trading activities.7

3 David N Buck, Responding to Chaos (London: Spon, 2000), 3.

4 Timothy Elkin, Duncan McLaren, and Mayer Hillman, Reviving the City: Towards Sustainable Urban

Development (London: Friends of the Earth, 1991), 4. 5 Elkin et al, Reviving the City, 16.

6 Mike Jenks, Elizabeth Burton and Katie Williams, The Compact City, A Sustainable Urban Form

(London: E & FN Spon, 1996), 3-12. 7 Jenks et al, The Compact City, 56.

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To be consistent with our definition I have chosen urban Japan as the perfect example

of high-density living since ‘70 percent of the country’s population is in 4 percent of

the land area.’8 This statistic clearly illustrates the density of urban areas, hence why I

selected the Japanese city of Tokyo as an ideal example of a compact city. By using it

as our case study we will be able to examine the resulting implications from a design

point of view.

The Japanese Model

Located off the coast of Russia, China and Korea in the North Pacific, Japan has an

area of 377,873km². Only 18% of Japanese land mass is appropriate for human

settlement as over 70% is mountainous land, which includes over 200 volcanoes.

Japanese cities are therefore characteristically densely populated and overcrowded.

Tokyo itself has an estimated population of 12 million with over 35 million people in

the Greater Tokyo Area.9 It is a city with very distinctive characteristics.

Sydney is an appropriate comparison to Tokyo as it has the highest density of

Australia’s major cities. Even though Tokyo is about five times more densely

populated than Sydney ‘74% of Sydney households have some sort of house and

garden, compared with 35% of Tokyo households’.10

Added to this is the fact that

new builds in Sydney average twice the floor space of any new dwellings in Tokyo,

which clearly illustrates the concentration of settlement in Tokyo relative to Sydney.

(Fig.1 & Fig.2).To further illustrate our point if we were to compare Tokyo to the

USA:

At 100 square meters the average home in Tokyo is quite small. Yet

many couples and even families of three and four happily make do with

less, especially in Tokyo, where conditions are so extreme that small

apartments or tiny houses are often the only choice. By contrast the

average single family home in the United States contains about 204

square meters and houses two to three people.11

8 Buck, Responding to Chaos, 3.

9 ‘Facts about Japan’, http://facts-about-japan.com/. Accessed 20

th October 2011.

10 Jenks et al, The Compact City, 46-47.

11 Naomi Pollock, Modern Japanese House (London: Phaidon, 2005). 9.

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Figure 1: The City of Tokyo at dusk illustrating its densely populated zones.

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Figure 2: The City of Sydney showing Darling Harbour.

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Both of these examples visibly show the lack of available space in Tokyo relative to

other highly populated centres. The fact that Tokyo is one of the most densely

populated cities in the world has significant implications for architects and designers.

Historical Influence

Japan has a reputation for demolition and rebuilding. ‘Having survived natural

disasters, war and massive urban renewal, the country is used to rebuilding.’12

One

such incident was the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Measuring 7.9 on the Richter

scale it is said to have killed up to 200,000 and left ‘64% of the remaining population

homeless.’13

The American firebombing of Tokyo between March and May of 1945

was even more devastating to the city. These and other incidents have had major

implications for the appearance of modern Tokyo.

Though its general urban structure remains unchanged, individual buildings are

separate entities, constantly flattened and replaced with little regard for consistency of

style or uniformity on each street. It has been said that on many residential streets the

unwavering line of electricity poles is the only constant. Aesthetically this creates a

certain amount of chaos as buildings may have little or no visual relationship to its

neighbour. Yet these historical factors have given architects a great deal of freedom to

design as they wish.

The continuous threat of earthquakes has also affected the country’s building laws and

restrictions. It is now ‘forbidden for any two buildings to share a structural wall’

which means there must by a narrow passage between the two.14

This naturally

reduces the danger of the domino effect which could be caused by the collapse of one

building. Another impact is that it reduces the available space for each house, further

contributing to overcrowding. The pattern of demolition and reconstruction means

that existing buildings are then seen to be less valuable than land in Japan. Since land

is so expensive, the cost of reconstruction is relatively cheap. In fact people are much

less likely to buy second hand properties preferring to demolish and rebuild.

12

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 9. 13

Jodidio, Contemporary Japanese Architects. 8. 14

Ibid. 6.

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Comparative to the United States and Europe where buildings may be a couple of

hundred years old, individual buildings in Japan may have a life span of just two

decades. At this point the building may be considered shabby and difficult to maintain

so therefore is ready to be torn down and replaced.15

This need for scrapping and

rebuilding was mainly due to the fact that wood was the main material used as well as

the nature of the traditional methods of construction used which we will be discussing

in depth in a later chapter.

Limitations or Opportunities

In Tokyo, architects and interior designers are limited by space and size restrictions

with some interesting results. ‘Where land is limited and sites are small, building

codes determine house shapes, and furniture dimensions fix room sizes.’16

According

to Naomi Pollock, an architect who has been writing about Japan for over 20 years,

rooms may be oddly shaped, roofs at strange angles and furniture in unusual places.

Building regulations and legal constraints complicate the situation, limiting heights of

buildings and distance from the street, for example ‘the width of the street in front

determines the building’s height - the narrower the street, the lower the house.’17

The so – called ‘Sunshine Law’ can also lead to odd positioning of buildings and

restricted heights as it dictates that a new building can only cast shadows on

neighbouring buildings for a certain amount of hours per day.18

This law is one of the

most important codes which affects designers in Tokyo and is based on the theory that

everyone is entitled to a certain amount of sunlight per day. The angle of the sun at

winter solstice is used to determine the limitations of the law which leads to unusual

and steep roof angles as well as height restrictions.

15

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 9. 16

Ibid. 9. 17

Ibid. 9. 18

Philip Jodidio, Contemporary Japanese Architects, Volume II (London: Taschen, 1997). 8.

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Local Factors

Since centrally located land is very highly priced in most parts of Japan, especially

Tokyo, landowners tend to sub divide their property. This division lead to further high

density living once the bubble period ended. They believe that doing this will make

the land sell quicker. The consequence of this is that people often end up buying a

small or oddly shaped piece of land on a limited or unusual site. These factors have

led to the creation of unique micro homes and buildings on small slivers of land. As

the Tokyo based architect, Jun Ishikawa says ‘This trend is not driven by design; it is

economics. But from an architect’s point of view it is his job to satisfy the customer’s

needs regardless of the site conditions.’19

The changing social demographic of Japan’s population and the resultant design

implications has also shaped contemporary Tokyo. Before World War II, the social

unit of the extended family was dominant where there was no choice but to live with

ones parents. After the war, the family structure had started to change and had broken

down into smaller units. Simultaneously Tokyo experienced a growth spurt with an

influx of people from the country moving to the city in search of employment. This

migration of people meant that more and more people needed to live in the city while

the available land constantly diminished. The strain on resources was reflected in

house design as the demand for smaller homes necessitated designers to take a fresh

approach to the problem.20

As in Western countries, non traditional family units

including single parent families and unmarried couples are on the increase in Japan.

The elderly population is also rapidly expanding while the birth rate is decreasing. In

June 2003 for the first time the ‘number of births countrywide dropped below 1.3

children per family.’21

In Tokyo this has been particularly low with less than one child

per family.22

This changing social demographic clearly has had implications for the

design of modern Japanese dwellings and has contributed to the need for minimum

dwelling in urban centres.

19

Brett Bull, Small House Tokyo, How the Japanese Live Well in Small Spaces (Tokyo:Cocoro Books,

2008). 3. 20

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 10. 21

Ibid. 10. 22

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 11.

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Emerging Trends

‘Living small is in, especially among younger Japanese with modest budgets who no

longer want to cope with the gruelling commutes by train from far-off suburbs outside

Tokyo as their parents did.’23

Young couples are only one of the emerging groups

who choose to live in ultra compact homes in Japan. They prefer to live close to the

cultural amenities and employment opportunities offered by urban centres such as

Tokyo despite the scarcity of suitable land. Leaving the lively inner city for the

suburbs holds little appeal as they sacrifice space for micro homes on tiny parcels of

land. Due to these demands architects are not just for the wealthy in Japan and can be

an option for those less well off. The challenges these restricted projects pose require

architects to rethink traditional structure and assembly and manipulate the space to

allow more light and air.24

In more recent years one solution architects have provided is the development of the

micro home or kyosho jutaku. Becoming the fashionable choice for big city living,

these innovative houses are located on small and irregular plots of land some of which

may be no more than 30 square meters in total. Providing a unique approach to

minimum dwelling and compact living they satisfy modern living needs by catering to

individual needs.25

The kyosho jutaku free themselves from conventional design rules

‘walls can be tipped to meet floors at angles greater than 90 degrees, mimicking the

slope of a ships hull.’26

An example of kysho jutaku is the 'Reflection of

Mineral' house which was designed by architect Yasuhiro Yamashita. (Fig.3).

Architects have adapted narrow spaces so that floors can perform more than one

function, and walls and ceilings incorporate furniture in an unconventional manner.

These homes are part of a small revolution in Japan where economy and necessity has

led to unorthodox ultra- compact living and in a sense redefining the rules of house

design.27

This ultra compact living also has some interesting social implications.

23

Hiroko Tashiro, “Japan: Micro-Homes in the Big City” Bloomberg Businessweek ( 2007). 24

Hiroko Tashiro, “Japan: Micro-Homes in the Big City. 25

Bull, Small House Tokyo. 3. 26

Ibid. 3. 27

Ibid. 4.

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As homes become smaller many people compensate by using offices, schools and

parental homes for supplementary storage and study spaces. Added to these are the

city’s resources which become additional social living spaces. Coffee shops can

become living rooms for socialising, public baths provide shower facilities and parks

and playgrounds act as everyone’s back garden.28

Conclusion

This chapter investigated the idea of a compact city as a sustainable form of

settlement for the future and the various benefits associated with it. In particular it

focused on Tokyo in Japan as a compact urban metropolis. The research examined the

necessity and desire for minimum dwelling in Tokyo driven by geography, economy

and changes in social structure. The research also looked at the influence of

overcrowding both past and present and how building regulations and city zoning

laws have shaped city homes in Japanese cities such as Tokyo.

Now that a context has been established for the research question, the second chapter

will focus on the traditional features of Japanese homes and the characteristics

associated from a design perspective. By referring to commonly used native Japanese

building materials and methods of construction, the chapter will focus on the features

related to space and proportion in design as well as the strong link with the natural

environment.

28

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 15.

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Chapter Two:

Traditional Japan and the Relationship

between Space, Nature and Human

Presence

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The second chapter will focus on the question of traditional Japanese design solutions.

Michael Freeman, an expert on Japanese design, suggests that a fundamental concept

in traditional Japanese houses was the relationship between ‘space and human

presence’.29

In his book Space, he illustrates traditional Japanese design concepts and

characterises how these solutions accommodated the needs of the inhabitants of the

house. Freeman also discusses the use of dimensions and scale of established

elements and how these were linked to the proportions of the human body. It is

important to consider Freeman’s work within the context of our study of minimum

and compact living spaces in urban areas. By looking at traditional Japanese design

elements regarding space and proportion, as well as the relationship with nature and

native materials we can assess its value to minimum compact living spaces in the

modern city.

Flexibility using Fusuma and Shoji Screens

Adaptable and flexible interior space has been an integral part of Japanese living for

many centuries. The traditional Japanese house was a one roomed space which was

then partitioned into various sections developing a multi-use interior which could be

adapted for sleeping, eating, entertaining and working. Traditional homes had a

number of important elements. These key characteristics were the dimensioning of

space by human proportions and the interior structural system with flexible and fixed

elements. Fusuma and shoji were types of opaque and translucent movable screens

used to partition the interior and by examining these basic features we can understand

how they lent themselves to the flexible partition of space in the traditional Japanese

home.30

Fusuma were adjustable wooden partitions which divided adjoining rooms, facilitated

by wooden grooved runners along the ground. These sliding screens were usually

lacquered frames with heavy opaque paper which were often painted with traditional

patterns.(Fig.4). They allowed for great functional flexibility within the home.

29

Michael Freeman, Space: Japanese Design Solutions for Compact Living (New York: Universe,

2004), 7. 30

Freeman, Space, 7.

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Figure 4: Traditional painted Fusuma screens in Ninna-Ji

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Designed to divide rather than enclose a space, they opened up a great deal of design

possibilities. Generally used as room dividers and cupboard doors they could be

opened back for entertaining or closed up for more intimate occasions, as well as

sleeping or working. Suitable for closet doors and to create a sound and light barrier

between rooms, fusuma screens differed from the shoji screens in that they were made

from thick opaque paper which did not allow the light through.

The shoji screens were a second type of movable wooden screens which were

generally placed along windowed corridors and behind window spaces. Unlike the

fusuma screens, they were designed to allow light through and hence worked like

curtains across a windowed space. These were made from white translucent

handmade paper stretched across a rectangular lattice screen often made from cedar

wood. (Fig.5). The handmade paper known as washi was made from plant fibres from

the inner bark of plants such as mulberry and wisteria.31

While the thin paper allowed

light to penetrate, it also prevented people from seeing in and therefore maintained the

privacy of the home. For the Japanese, lightness was an essential element in

successful compact spaces and the traditional shoji is a classic example of this. The

nature of the material, its structural form and colour as well as the light which

permeates the layered paper, made it an essential element in a Japanese house. Both

traditional fusuma and shoji screens had a lightness and ease of movement which

allowed great spatial freedom. They became mobile walls which allowed the

inhabitants create new worlds as they pleased.

Human Proportion and the Tatami Mat Culture

An essential item which dictated the structural grid of the traditional Japanese home

was the tatami straw mat. This element of interior furniture was more a piece of

flooring rather than a rug or mat. Made from tightly woven ‘blue-green igusa straw,

the mat was solid enough to be load bearing while at the same time sufficiently

resilient for comfort.’32

The tatami mat offered a comfortable living surface for

multi-functional use as a durable floor and a flexible seating area. (Fig.6).

31

Michael Dunn, Inspired Design, Japan’s Traditional Arts (Milan: 5 Continents, 2005), 312-313. 32

Freeman, Space. 6.

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Figure 5: Traditional tailor’s workshop with shoji screens.

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Figure 6: Traditional tatami mats in a guest room.

Figure 7: Examples of different layouts for traditional Japanese tatami mats.

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Although the dimensions of the mat varied over the centuries and there were

distinctions between different regions, they all corresponded to the proportions of the

human body and in general the mat represented the dimensions of a person lying

down. The tatami mat became an important architectural element as the height of the

room, doorways and so on all related to the proportion of the mats. It acted as a unit of

measurement which was relative to the proportion of a person and the final

configuration of the mats also determined the size and shape of the room. (Fig.7).

Nature’s View

Historically Japanese houses had a strong spiritual and physical link with the natural

environment. Their design fell broadly into two broad categories, the house

surrounding the garden and the garden surrounding the house. A garden was seen as a

vital element and was designed and developed to be at one with the house. Traditional

homes also boasted transitional spaces between outside and inside, such as ‘enkan

entry foyers, doma dirt-floored work areas and engawa verandas.’33

These elements

prevented a rigid separation between the interior and exterior spaces and blurred the

dividing lines between the two.

This inter-connection of house and environment was enhanced by the use of movable

walls and large openings within the traditional building framework, in particular on

the south side of the house. Adjustable walls on one side would allow the occupants to

open the house up in the summer to ventilate the space. In addition, fresh air could

circulate beneath the house as they were raised almost a foot above the ground.34

Traditional Japanese homes used the principle of borrowed landscape or scenery

(shakei) to incorporate distant natural features into the view from the house or garden.

Windows and sliding doors or screens would often be used to frame the view of

background scenery. This form of illusion would take advantage of any views of trees

or mountains in the background to extend the perception of the space.35

The shakei

method of quoting the far away landscape was an important technique employed to

bring the outside world into the urban landscape.

33

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 59. 34

Ibid. 60. 35

Dunn, Inspired Design, 95.

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The relationship between interior and exterior spaces was a particularly important

element for minimum compact homes and introduced a sense of well-being, light and

atmosphere. As discussed in Chapter One, the combination of zoning laws and

historical factors which led to overcrowding meant that traditional homes with

perimeter gardens were impossible in many towns and cities. Designers needed to

devise new ways to provide a spiritual and physical link to the outdoors. A solution

was the enclosed gardens called the tsuboniwa which were located in small spaces in

the centre of a house or in confined areas between several buildings. A tsuboniwa was

a tiny patch of greenery based on a traditional unit of measurement called a tsubo

which measures approximately 35 square feet or 3 metre squared. (Fig.8). It was

originally designed as a way of drawing hot air out of the home and was accessed

from the house using movable screens such as those previously discussed earlier in

this chapter.36

Unlike courtyards found in other areas, these gardens were merely for

planting of small trees and plants and were not to be used as circulation space. This

type of garden became popular both for practical reasons as well as its aesthetic value.

Courtyard gardens were often essential in the design of space restricted homes and

provided a connection with the outdoors as well as light and fresh air. Limiting space

and ever changing site conditions, in addition to the proximity of ones neighbours

meant that architects used windows cautiously and when they did had to position

them carefully. Many found that interior courtyards were the perfect solution to

escape these conflicts and uncertainties. (Fig.9). As well as providing sunlight and

views of the sky, courtyards acted as visual focal points within the home when

windows may not have been a suitable option. In narrow and high buildings a

courtyard area would have made the entire space feel bigger by providing a vertical

visual link throughout.37

Material World

An understanding of the traditional design solutions highlighted previously would not

be complete without a brief look at the relevant building materials and techniques.

36

Pollock, Modern Japanese House. 60. 37

Ibid. 61.

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Traditional Japanese buildings were generally constructed using readily available

materials and local building methods. Though it varied from region to region houses

were essentially a wooden post and beam construction, with the frame resting on a

foundation of stones. This type of construction allowed great flexibility in the design

permitting openings at almost any point. The enclosing wall composition had several

variations. Some houses had walls of clay or sometimes clay with a combination of

boiled straw and a sand finish. Others were constructed in wood or alternatively, from

using a lime finish made from oyster shells. Roofs were mainly thatched with grass or

reeds, and were strong enough to act as the primary form of shelter and protection.

Sometimes wood shingles were used but in later years ceramic tiles replaced these

earlier materials.38

Wood was the most fundamental building material in ancient Japan. The country is

rich in forests ranging from grand cedars to sub tropical evergreens. As a readily

available building material to local builders and craftsmen, wood rapidly became the

popular choice for traditional homes. Such variety of wood allowed for different uses

throughout the house, from bamboo for the frame construction to the cedar shoji

screens.39

Bamboo is a type of wood which many instinctively associate with Japan.

As a building material, it has been used for centuries and as illustrated by Michael

Dunn, it would ‘be almost impossible to imagine Japan without bamboo.’40

A

dynamic and sustainable building material, bamboo has a rich cultural background

and has been widely used not only in construction but also for weapons, furniture and

musical instruments to name but a few.

Conclusion

The second chapter focused on the first part of the research question concerning

traditional Japanese design solutions. Relevant features such as the flexibility of

interior space provided by the use of fusuma and shoji as well as the tatami straw mat

have now been identified. Transitional elements between interior and exterior space

and the importance of bringing nature into the home have also been discussed as well

38

Dunn, Inspired Design, 88. 39

Dunn, Inspired Design, 85. 40

Ibid. 123.

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as the significant use of courtyards to introduce light and air. Finally the chapter

looked briefly at native building materials and methods of construction.

In the third chapter the study will focus on compact solutions for modern living and

examples of contemporary Japanese minimum dwellings. In particular, it will

concentrate on those that have incorporated modern interpretations of traditional

methods and materials by referring to the research completed in previous chapters.

After examining their success the chapter will investigate the influence of Japanese

design in Western society and how characteristics of Japanese architecture have been

popularly adopted by architects in the United States and other Western countries.

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Chapter Three:

Contemporary Japan and its influence

on Western Society

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The arrival of the 20th

century in Japan brought with it greater communication and an

influx of ideas and influences from around the world. This had a profound impact on

the development of Japanese design. The most significant consequence of this was the

introduction of new materials, such as reinforced concrete, plastic and steel. At the

same time fresh interpretations of traditional materials were being conceived.41

There

was also renewed interest in the relationship between interior and exterior space as

well as modern applications for movable screens, tatami mats and other traditional

elements.

As previously discussed in Chapter One the micro home or kyosho jutaku has become

the fashionable choice for urban living in recent times. These innovative houses are

situated on small and irregular plots of land and are a good example of contemporary

dwellings in Japanese cities. The development of fresh approaches to modern

Japanese dwellings has freed designers from conventional design rules in terms of

structure, construction methods and use of materials. Tokyo is considered to be the

birthplace of modern Japanese architecture as the disorderly urban environment offers

many diverse design opportunities. Consequently the study will now focus on two

suitable examples of contemporary dwellings in Tokyo; the first, ‘The Plastic House’

illustrates material reinvention and the second, ‘The Engawa House’ responds to the

traditional link between the built and natural environment.

Material; the Essence of Architecture - Case Study One: The Plastic House

The present generation of Japanese architects has embraced the challenge of adapting

old materials to new unique uses, as well as using modern materials to reinterpret

traditional forms. According to the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma ‘Material is the

essence of architecture. It is the material itself that forms the exterior instead of a

thinly applied finish.’42

Here the architect is emphasising the significance of the

choice of material as well as a functional honesty and non-superficial use within the

overall design. This belief is central to his contemporary designs and also echoes the

principle of the ‘true’ use of materials in traditional Japanese design.

41

Michael Freeman, The New Oriental Style (London: Thames & Hudson, 2006), 146. 42

Michiko Rico Nose, Design: Japan.(London: Mitchell Beazley, 2004), 13.

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There are numerous modern dwellings in Tokyo which demonstrate a reinterpretation

of tradition through the use and exploration of materials. For the purposes of this

study we will look at one such building in detail.

Kengo Kuma‘s Plastic House is an excellent example of a contemporary minimum

dwelling that successfully blends modern technologies with long-standing Japanese

traditions. Located in central Tokyo, the house was designed for a photographer and

his writer mother, and cleverly integrates work, rest and play in a flexible dynamic

space. (Fig.10). Built in 2002, the house displays elements of traditional Japanese

architecture with simplicity and lightness as well as the use of select materials such as

wood, bamboo, paper and earthen straw renders.43

The modern twist comes with the chosen material: FRP or fibreglass reinforced

plastic. The walls are a ‘laminate of FRP sandwiching translucent thermal insulation

sheeting’44

while thin FRP beams are used for the exterior walls and at the back of the

house.45

As a material it is unusual to find it used in construction but here it was

chosen by the architect for its resemblance to bamboo because of its creamy green

colour. (Fig.11). The translucency of the plastic as well as the insulation material in

the centre gives the house a certain softness and lightness. Additionally it also creates

light effects reminiscent of traditional shoji screens by allowing light to permeate the

exterior. Kuma believes that the plastic fibres can be similar to the texture of rice

paper or can be said to resemble bamboo groves.46

The flexible ground floor space acts as a living room, kitchen, dining area and

photographic studio which can also be converted into a tea ceremony room with

tatami mats or a party space if needed. (Fig.12). The bedroom and bathroom are

located on the second floor, while the rooftop acts as a terrace. The basement works

as an independent apartment for the photographer’s mother and similar to traditional

Japanese dwellings, the heaters, storage and other services are cleverly concealed in

alcoves and recesses.47

43

Freeman, The New Oriental Style,201. 44

Ibid. 201. 45

Ibid. 201. 46

Ibid. 202. 47

Nose, Design: Japan. 99.

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Figure 10: The exterior of the Plastic House in Tokyo designed by Kengo Kuma

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Figure 11: The thin FRP or fibreglass reinforced plastic beams used for the exterior

walls, were chosen by the architect for it’s resemblance to bamboo.

Figure 12: The flexible ground floor space acts as a living room, kitchen, dining area

and photographic studio.

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Kuma’s innovative Plastic House, with its unusual use of synthetic plastic yet

unmistakable link with the past, proves that modern materials can be used in a pure

and honest way to express traditional Japanese design principles. The result is an

unique house which satisfies the client’s needs by demonstrating ‘simple rather than

decorative beauty.’48

The Natural Way - Case Study Two: Engawa House

In Chapter Two we examined the relationship between interior and exterior spaces in

a traditional context. It is interesting to note that this is an element which also

manifests itself in many contemporary Japanese dwellings. One such example is the

Engawa House by Tezuka Architects which demonstrates the interconnection of

interior and exterior spaces. Completed in 2003, the house gets its name from the

traditional engawa veranda which was an exterior hallway along the garden side of a

Japanese house and was used to soften the division between outside and inside spaces

to prevent a rigid separation between the two. Thus the name itself hints at this inter

relationship.

Engawa House was built for a young client who needed to adapt the space to

accommodate his growing family as well as his ageing mother. This type of multi

generational living is a typical Japanese phenomenon and one which requires careful

planning to allow privacy as well as shared space.50

Shaped like a rectangular box, the

house is simple in form and clad in vertical strips of timber with a glass façade along

one side. Traditional Japanese elements are incorporated within the interior. The

house is divided by screens, which are shorter than full height to allow ventilation of

the space through the high clerestory windows that line the street façade. (Fig.13). It

is a simple and minimal layout which allows the home to remain a single space. The

house has a distinctly private façade along the street while the open façade on the

opposite side embraces communal living. (Fig.14).

48

Freeman, The New Oriental Style, 201. 50

Yuki Sumner, Naomi Pollock and David Littlefield, New Architecture in Japan. (London: Merrell,

2010).188.

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Figure 13: The private street façade of the Engawa House.

Figure 14: The open rear façade of the Engawa House.

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Figure 15: The glazed sliding doors that open the house almost completely to the

small garden.

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The central core of this design is the small garden that lies between the new house and

the mother’s house. Visually and socially, it links the two families and acts as an

essential third space within the design. The concealed steel beam supports nine large

sliding doors which allow one side to open up almost completely to the garden

space.51

(Fig.15). This again hints at traditional methods of construction but with a

modern material. Engawa house is an ideal blend of old and new with the natural

environment playing a key role in the design.

There are countless interpretations of traditional Japanese design elements and

materials in modern minimum dwellings. The two houses detailed above are merely

examples of how old and new can be successfully blended together through materials,

structure and design principles. We will now look further afield to how Japanese

design has influenced the Western World.

Go West – Japanese Influence on Western Society

With the arrival of the 20th

century came the exchange of ideas and communications

between the Eastern and Western worlds. As previously discussed this had a

significant impact on design in Japan. However it was also important in the

development of the Modern Western world. In contemporary architecture, both

functional and aesthetic Japanese influences became sources of design inspiration.

Kyung J. Lee believes that this influence is mainly apparent ‘in terms of simplicity,

flexibility, modularity and emphasis on the beauty of unaltered natural structures.’54

From our research we know that Lee’s listed elements such as simplicity and

flexibility are core principles of Japanese design. There were many architects and

designers whose works exhibited Japanese influence and who helped to spread the

ideas throughout Western society. For this study we will just very briefly mention two

prominent figures who incorporated this approach to Western design: Frank Lloyd

Wright and Tadao Ando.

51

Ibid. 188. 54

Kyung J.Lee, The Western Adaptation of Shoji: An Eample of Eastern Influence in Contemporary

Design, http://www.dyd.com.ar/biblioteca/selecciona110.html.

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Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 –1959)

Frank Lloyd Wright, the great American architect, is one of the most celebrated

modern architects who built more than four hundred buildings in his lifetime

including offices, hotels, schools and museums. According to various sources,

including author Neil Levine who completed the first detailed analysis of the

architect's entire career, Frank Lloyd Wright’s fascination with Japan began in the late

1880’s with the collection of ukiyo-e which were Japanese woodblock prints. This

interest developed further with his first visit there in 1905. Although Wright often

credited the Japanese arts as having an influence on his work, it is now also thought

that vernacular Japanese architecture had a significant influence on his approach to

design. With its adaptable interiors of tatami mats and shoji screens as well as the

inter connection between interior and exterior spaces, Wright in a sense found

verification of his own organic design principles in that of the traditional Japanese

buildings.55

Wright later lived for six years part time in Tokyo, during which time he designed

amongst many other buildings, the Imperial Hotel, a building which he considered to

be one of his most significant works. The hotel had a H shaped courtyard plan with a

series of small interior courtyards that allowed access to the backbone of public areas.

Wright’s hotel is said to incorporate many fundamental Japanese design elements

such as his system of sunken, terraced and roof gardens. (Fig.16). The designer

himself had wanted to respect Oriental tradition as well as demonstrating how

Japanese traditions could be reinterpreted with modern construction methods. 56

Karen Severns, a filmmaker and author who along with her husband made a film

about Wright’s life in Japan, has said that ‘Without Japan there may have been no

second golden age for Frank Lloyd Wright.’57

She is referring to the influence of

Japanese design on Wrights later works in America.

55

Karen Severns and Koichi Mori, Magnificent Obsession: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buildings and

Legacy in Japan, http://magnificent-obsession.org/en/wright_japan_e.html. 56

Neil Levine, The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (London; Princeton University Press, 1997)

116 -120. 57

Severns and Mori, Magnificent Obsession.

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Figure 16: The exterior of the Imperial Hotel with its many terraces and courtyard

gardens.

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His Prairie houses exhibited many Japanese elements such as the interdependence of

nature and the home, layout of interior spaces and use of timber frame construction.58

Unquestionably Frank Lloyd Wright can be considered a prominent figure in the

spread of Japanese design. His fascination with Japan led him to incorporate

traditional elements which have since been imitated helping to spread the influence of

Japanese design in Western society.

Tadao Ando (1941 – Present)

The Japanese architect Tadao Ando was greatly influenced by the work of Frank

Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn and Le Corbusier, as well as the characteristics of

traditional Japanese architecture.59

Primarily self taught, Ando travelled around Japan

and abroad sketching and observing before setting up his own practise in his native

Osaka.60

One of his best known early works was the Azuma or Row House in Sumiyoshi

which was completed in 1976 and has since made him world famous. Built in exposed

concrete with an open courtyard, the small rectangular house became a prototype for

his architecture and was a successful solution to the issue of modern dwelling in an

overcrowded Osaka. The two storey house was built on a very narrow plot of land and

consisted of three rectangular volumes. (Fig.17). Two of these volumes were enclosed

interior living spaces which were separated by a central open courtyard which was a

crucial element of the house’s circulation system. (Fig.18). In the Row House, Ando

wished to ‘introduce nature into the simple geometric form and to endow the spaces

with complexity through changes in light.’61

(Fig.19). This novel approach advocated

a co-existence with nature and was to become a characteristic of his architecture.

Ando’s method drew inspiration from the traditional Japanese principles of

incorporating the natural environment as well as natural light.

58

Daniel Treiber, Frank Lloyd Wright (Switzerland; Birkhauser Architecture, 2008) 134. 59

Mirko Zandini, Tadao Ando Architectural Monographs, No. 14.(London; St Martins Press, 1990) 6-

9. 60

Ibid. 6-9. 61

Ibid. 8.

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Figure 17: The Azuma Row house in Osaka, situated on a very narrow strip of land.

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Figure 18: The open central courtyard of the Azuma House.

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Figure 19: The open air bridge and outdoor steps in the Azuma House.

It was through Ando’s innovative approach to modern buildings that the rest of the

world began to appreciate the immense potential traditional Japanese principles had

for contemporary design. Ando’s architecture has a strong universal appeal and his

insightful incorporation of nature and light in concrete buildings has had a massive

impact on Western design in urban centres.62

Conclusion

This chapter investigated the development of contemporary Japanese dwellings with

reference to traditional materials and principles. By giving two strong examples it

illustrated how the merging of old and new techniques could be extremely successful.

The second half of the chapter focused on the Western picture and discussed the

growth of Japanese influence abroad with particular reference to two key figures,

Frank Lloyd Wright and Tadao Ando. It illustrated how their works may have

influenced contemporary designers and helped to spread Japanese design principles

worldwide.

Now that we have identified emerging trends in contemporary Japan as well as

investigating the influence of their design principles worldwide, we will now look at

the Irish design scene. The final chapter will focus on the Ballagh house in Dublin’s

inner city which illustrates Western adaptations of Japanese influences. Displaying

many of the characteristics of traditional Japanese dwellings, this case study will give

us a relevant context for this thesis in contemporary Ireland.

62

Ibid.10. 64

Shane O’Toole, Tadao Ando: Creating Dreams, Dublin http://archiseek.com/2007/tadao-ando-

creating-dreams-dublin/.

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Chapter Four:

Ireland’s Own – The Ballagh House

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The influence of Japanese design can be seen throughout the Western World and

Ireland is no exception. Considering the work of international architects previously

mentioned in this chapter it certainly has made a lasting impression on Irish

architecture and design. One can see references to Japanese principles in many

contemporary dwellings throughout the country. An excellent example of such a

building is the home of the Irish artist Robert Ballagh which according to many

including architectural writer Shane O’Toole, was influenced by Tadao Ando’s Row

House in Sumiyoshi.64

Located in Dublin’s Broadstone, the award winning project

was completed by Boyd Cody architects in 2002 and is a perfect example of the

adaptation of Japanese principles in a contemporary Irish setting.

Three is a magic number

Over the years, Robert Ballagh and his wife Betty had come into ownership of No’s 3,

4 and 5 Temple Cottages along a row of period terrace houses in Dublin 7. Their

vision was to knock the adjoining three houses into one creating the perfect home for

their retirement. According to architect Dermot Boyd this set a very exciting

challenge, one which was not restrictive but open to design and interpretation.65

The

architects identified the distinct nature of the three houses and wished to keep the

memory of each within the overall plan. They kept as much of the original structure as

possible and followed the natural proportion of the three houses by dividing the new

house into six parts. The only room to break from this structural grid was the living

room which occupies the ground floor of two of the houses. (Fig.20). As requested by

the owner Robert, the existing façade and the rear wall were retained, while the

central part was reinvented in a ‘very modern language.’66

It was the desire of both

the architects and the client that the new contemporary addition complemented and

followed the natural proportion of the old existing structure. (Fig.21).

65

Dermot Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin, November 23, 2001 66

Ibid.

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Spatial Layout

The design of the Ballagh house was divided into six pieces which relate differently to

each other both in plan and in section. This ‘spatial matrix’ which divided the house

like a puzzle was what drove it as a concept according to architect Dermot Boyd.69

Allowing the interconnection of space and the discovery of different architectural

volumes is a known characteristic of Japanese houses. A desire to see through to one

space while inhabiting another was an important element for the architects who

wanted the small house to work like a ‘magic box’ with a sense of spatial

exploration.70

A more obvious reference to Japanese architecture and the inter-relationship between

interior and exterior spaces was the courtyard. As discussed in Chapter Two the

courtyard was a key element in the traditional Japanese house which provided a

connection with the outdoors as well as light and fresh air. The original idea of a

courtyard came from Robert’s initial sketches for the house and was inspired by

Japanese architecture as well as old Roman houses and Spanish architecture. Robert

himself ‘hates ostentation’ and wanted to include a concealed garden where the front

doors open onto a hidden oasis. The courtyard was placed at the centre of the back

wall and the living spaces grew into a U shape around it.71

Inspired by traditional

Japanese design principles, the courtyard and terrace were ‘a means of opening up the

house to the natural environment.’72

The glazed sliding screens blurred the dividing

lines between outside and inside and allowed interconnections from both a visual and

spatial point of view. The courtyard also allowed the living spaces to be ventilated

naturally. Although not seen as an area to be heavily used it did provide circulation

space and grew into a rich interior garden once the Ballaghs made it their own.

(Fig.22).

Natural light is another central element to the Boyd Cody design philosophy and is a

critical component in every one of their designs. In the Ballagh house, the addition of

69

Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin. 70

Ibid. 71

Robert Ballagh, Interview by author, Dublin, December 15, 2001. 72

Ibid.

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expansive glazing allowed as much light in as possible. The courtyard opened up the

central space and drew the light into the house where the rooms were positioned to

make the best use of natural light. The main bedroom was designed to welcome the

morning sun while the evening sun filtered though to the study downstairs.

Meanwhile the west-facing terrace above was a sun trap ideal for a morning coffee.

(Fig.23). The use of a large acid etched glass panel at the rear also catches the sun

rising over the top of the house and acts as a great mirror reflecting light back into the

courtyard. This surprising effect was not predicted but was a pleasant outcome for

both the architects and the client.73

The original front doors of Number 4 and Number

5 act as shutters with glazed doors placed behind them. These acid etched screens

resemble traditional shoji and allow the light to filter through when the wooden doors

are opened.74

Material Simplicity

A great love of simple materials is a common link between Boyd Cody architects and

the traditional Japanese design philosophy. For the Ballagh house the architects chose

materials which were readily available and complimented the existing house yet

reinvented it in a modern way. Selecting from a limited palette of materials, the idea

was to play down the use of materials and in a sense bring it ‘back to minimalism’.75

The entrance hall was lined in plywood and is essentially a wooden box, similar to a

Japanese box puzzle which then leads into the fluid living spaces with connecting

views and openings. (Fig.24).

Concrete, glass and iroko wood are found throughout the house and also illustrate the

multi-functional uses of the architects choice of materials. A concrete bench, for

example, runs along the back wall to form the kitchen worktop before becoming a

series of steps in the courtyard and finally a desk in the studio. According to Boyd,

this came from an idea that something could grow out of the floor and has been

compared to the Loch Ness Monster on occasion. Here the concrete provides a strong

visual link between the different areas.

73

Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin. 74

Ballagh, Interview by author, Dublin. 75

Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin.

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Figure 22: View of the interior courtyard garden.

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Figure 23: Photo taken from the terrace shows the glazed master bedroom as well as

the acid etched glass panel to the right of the photo.

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Figure 24: Photo of the plywood entrance hall.

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Figure 25: View from the studio into the courtyard and kitchen showing the use of

concrete in the three spaces.

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By allowing surfaces to run through glazing it reads as one continuous space

throughout, creating a powerful spatial dialogue. The use of concrete for the different

elements allows both visual and spatial inter-connection throughout. (Fig.25).

‘Detail defines Space’

The attention to detail is critical in the Ballagh House, both from the point of view of

Robert as an artist and the architects who are self confessed fanatics when it comes to

detail. As Dermot Boyd emphasised, detail is ‘never an additional thing, always a

reduction thing.’77

This reference to the minimalistic style of the house as well as a

true use of materials and simplicity of constructional finishes reminds us of the honest

and unaltered natural beauty of traditional and contemporary Japanese dwellings. For

Robert, this attention to detail was ‘incredibly important yet so hard to achieve’.78

The

finishing of elements such as the shadow gap beneath the walls was crucial for both

the client and the architects. This detail eliminated the need for skirting boards and

created the appearance of a hovering wall. Just as in the minimalist dwellings of

traditional Japan, minor details such as these were of the utmost importance.

Conclusion

This chapter focused on the Irish architectural scene and identified a contemporary

Dublin dwelling which exhibits many characteristics of the Japanese design

principles. A clear relationship between interior and exterior spaces and simplicity of

materials are just some of the elements which link Temple Cottages to the Japanese

style. Whether these were mindfully or subconsciously chosen, the Ballagh House is a

clear example of Western adaptations of Japanese influences, right on our own

doorstep.

77

Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin. 78

Ballagh, Interview by author, Dublin.

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Conclusion

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As global population swells, the number of people living in urban areas is set to

increase dramatically. With the world’s largest urban areas already experiencing

staggering growth, this poses an exciting challenge for designers and architects to

achieve more with less space.79

Clever solutions are increasingly necessary to

maintain human health and environmental quality, as well as social and economic

stability. This research investigated the idea of a compact city as a suitable model for

sustainable living in an increasingly populated world. The Japanese city of Tokyo is

one of the world’s largest urban areas and is a prime example of a compact urban

metropolis. We have gained a greater insight into this concept by looking in greater

depth at the city of Tokyo and the art of living compactly. Having examined the

historical and economic reasons for the development of Tokyo, it is clear that many

cities around the world are in similar states of growth. Hence, this urban Japanese

example established a background for the thesis and gave focus to our research.

With a clearer understanding of the backdrop to Tokyo and the characteristics of the

city, my research moved to the novel ideas and solutions the Japanese found to

maximise the livability of their necessarily small homes.Through the study and

analysis of traditional Japanese housing design we identified common characteristics

such as shoji and fusuma screens, tatami mats as well as the strong link between space

and human scale. This helped to identify the layout of traditional homes as well as

discovering the tools for adaptable homes which have influenced the contemporary

design scene. We also investigated the strong connection between interior and exterior

spaces and the significant role that nature plays in native Japanese homes. Garden

spaces such as courtyards and tsuboniwa were important elements for introducing the

outdoor world into traditional Japanese dwellings. Along with this was the idea of

shakei which was borrowed landscape or scenery. The combinations of the above

elements ensure that nature remains firmly rooted at the heart of the Japanese

philosophy.

The analysis of native Japanese traditions and principles established a strong starting

point from which we could appreciate how the ideas of minimum dwelling evolved to

those we see in modern day Japan. We focused in particular on fresh adaptations of

79

Gary Hustwit, ‘Urbanized’, http://urbanizedfilm.com/about/. Accessed 4th

January 2012.

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the traditional principles and elements with specific reference to two dwellings in

contemporary Tokyo. The first example, ‘The Plastic House’ examined the

reinterpretation of materials and demonstrated how a modern material such as plastic

could link the traditional principles with the contemporary design world. The second

example, ‘The Engawa House’ focused on nature’s influence and the relationship

between interior and exterior spaces while accommodating the modern family unit.

These compelling case studies are clear evidence that traditional Japanese design

solutions can be successfully applied to the modern minimum dwelling. They also

illustrate that there are many different ways to link the past and present. Evidently,

traditional Japanese design solutions can be successfully applied to the modern

minimum dwelling, and past and present can coexist in a complementary way.

The influence of Japanese design on Western society was an important element of this

research as it attempted to ascertain if Japanese principles have worldwide

application. We focused on two key figures responsible for this development; the

internationally renowned architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and Tadao Ando. Frank

Lloyd Wright was an extremely influential architect worldwide so it was particularly

relevant to acknowledge the Japanese elements in his work, most noticeably the

Imperial Hotel in Japan. The Japanese architect Tadao Ando is a key figure in

demonstrating the potential of traditional Japanese principles in contemporary design.

His Azuma Row house was the main focus for this research as it exhibits many of the

Japanese characteristics already discussed and is a primary example of a compact

urban dwelling. The works of the above architects and the future architects they

influenced serve to illustrate the widespread success of these Japanese principles.

The research concludes by focusing on the Irish design world with a case study of a

modern minimum dwelling in Dublin’s Broadstone. This award winning

contemporary dwelling was designed by Boyd Cody architects and is said to have

been influenced by Ando’s Row House. On visiting the house, the influence of

Japanese principles was evident throughout. One of the most obvious features was the

inclusion of natural light, where even on a dull winter’s day the house was filled with

warm light as the winter sun filtered through the central courtyard. The Ballagh house

is minimalist yet homely with the attention to detail clearly evident throughout.

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Both the courtyard and terrace have become outdoor living spaces which open up the

house in the summer time. According to the owner, Robert Ballagh, it is a ‘pleasant,

comfortable house to live in.’80

In my opinion, the Ballagh house is a perfect example

of the adaptation of Japanese principles in an Irish setting with features such as a

central courtyard, inter-connection of interior and exterior spaces and a simplicity of

materials.

In conclusion this study has examined traditional Japanese design principles and has

analysed their use in a modern context. The analysis of all facets clearly illustrates

that through re-interpretation and adaptation, traditional solutions can have relevance

in a contemporary setting. By using case studies both in Japan and in Ireland, I feel

the thesis has answered the research question – Traditional Japanese design solutions

can be successfully adapted to the modern minimum dwelling. In the words of

architect Dermot Boyd ‘we have to reinvent the Irish city and take it very seriously.’81

The research presented in this thesis confirms that these native Japanese principles

can be successfully applied to contemporary city dwellings and may hold lessons for

the future of urban living both in Ireland and worldwide.

80

Ballagh, Interview by author, Dublin. 81

Boyd, Interview by author, Dublin.

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Appendices

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Appendix A

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Interview One: Ballagh House, Temple Cottages, Dublin

Dermot Boyd – Boyd and Cody Architects, 36 College Green, Dublin 2

Wednesday 23rd

November 2011

1. What was your initial reaction to the project and to the very specific site?

I was very excited by it. There were a number of points. Firstly, the clients Robert

Ballagh and his wife Betty, who unfortunately has just passed away, were really

interesting people. Also I was aware of Robert Ballagh’s work and the interest he

had in architecture. Robert himself also had architectural training for about 2 years

before he left architecture school. Then I’d been brought up to the house to have a

look and realized what the challenge was. The first house at Temple Cottages was

originally Betty’s where she grew up while the second they had bought I think in

the 1970’s when they had a family. And then it was through Robert’s work for

Riverdance that they could afford to eventually buy the third one. By buying the

third one, their view was to knock the project into one and make a dwelling for

themselves and for their retirement. So it was an exciting challenge in that way,

which can be one of the best projects.

2. Did you feel the spatial restrictions were a problem or a design opportunity?

Would you have preferred more freedom?

I think you will always have restrictions but everything is open to design and open

to interpretation. What is interesting also is the client’s ambition for the project

and can you give them that desire they have. So sometimes clients are realistic and

then sometimes clients aren’t so realistic in terms of what their needs are and what

space they have. In some ways that’s where you have to sort of temper the design.

For me the design stance is beyond the client and in some ways beyond the

architect, driven by context and site conditions. So no I didn’t see it as restrictive.

There were some complications with it, for example the retaining wall at the rear

of the site which created some difficulties but nothing too untoward.

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3. The house has been described as “ultra minimalist”. Would you agree or how

would you describe the style of the house?

I don’t have a problem with the term ‘minimalism”. However it has become

stylistic, it’s a way of determining style rather than determining intention. So I

would say the house is minimalist on some level as it uses that language. ‘Ultra

minimalist’, for me probably not, it could be more minimalist!

Also there was an issue with Robert; I suppose being an artist and then

understanding the kind of spaces we made and the kind of spaces that he liked

which were finely detailed and simple. Let’s say spatially I couldn’t describe it as

minimalism as it is quite complex, but in terms of its finish, yes. For example the

bright orange kitchen we put in could be considered a play on the minimalist

language. Also the relationship between outside and inside which goes back to

Japanese architecture is a minimalist idea.

4. The original terrace exterior of the house was retained. Was it difficult to

keep the proportion of the interior space relevant to the shell of the houses?

We saw it as being three distinct houses and wanted to maintain that. What was

important for us was that the memory of each house existed within the plan. The

only room to break that was the main living room which took up two ground

floors of two houses. So you enter into Number 3 which you could describe as

being the service part of the building and then you move into Number 4 which at

ground floor is really just part of the living room and dining room and then an

open courtyard. When you start to look at it you’ll see it is made up of six pieces.

And then these six pieces start to relate to each other differently in plan and

differently in section. At the rear of Number 3 we placed the studio, for Betty

primarily, a courtyard to the centre and then the kitchen. And then on the floor

above that we put in a west facing terrace, a void over the courtyard and then

Betty and Robert’s master bedroom which looked east. If you look at the plan, the

back rear wall of the house was retained as well. Essentially the front of the

existing houses we kept and the back we reinvented in a very modern language.

But that really gets back to the point about what the client’s ambition is.

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You know, they want a living room of a certain size, for the modern day house

and you say we can do that but we will be knocking the middle wall to do this.

You have to be quite ambitious about what you can achieve.

5. It has been said that the “rooms layer and look through to one another,

rather like a Japanese box puzzle”. Was the fluidity of space important in the

design? Did you want to have connecting views between each space?

Yes, absolutely. If you are working, as we were, with very small houses what we

like is that it becomes like a magic box. You know, the sense that they all inter-

relate and you only see space through space for example from the voids to the

higher terraces and the courtyard through to the kitchen and living room. Yes all

these inter-relationships are important. For me it is an exploration of architectural

space where there may be glazing between it but you can see through the space

and in some ways you can also imagine the space beyond. These inter-connections

were really important.

6. There is a strong focus on incorporating natural light in the design. Was this

a very important element in the initial concept? Do you feel that it has been

successful in its application?

Light for us is absolutely critical to every design, especially living in a country

where convenience of light is limited. I enjoy sunshine; I enjoy light and being in

rooms where I don’t have to switch on artificial lighting. When you look at the

existing house, we didn’t want to change hugely the proportion of that. So if you

look at the façade you find that most of the original windows are retained. The

existing house is dealt with in quite a traditional way where there’s a difference

between solid and void. The addition at the rear is very much about void and

large sheets of glass and getting as much light in as possible. It was very

important to us that natural light would come in. What was interesting and which

we didn’t really predict was the effect of the large glazed acid-etched panel at the

rear which opens onto a set of flats behind. Once the sun came over the top of the

house it actually hit the glazed panel and reflected down into the space.

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That was something we hadn’t really anticipated where it acted in some ways like

a large mirror when the light poured in and bounced back into the courtyard. We

were quite pleased with that. There are always things in architecture and design

that you cannot predict and that was one that worked out well. What we were

interested in doing with the glazing was maintaining privacy for the Ballagh’s

from the flats at the back so that they weren’t being overlooked.

7. Were there any worries about privacy or excessive glare?

No. We always integrate blinds into the house. We have never had clients

complaining about glare. One thing we are also quite keen on is cross ventilation.

What was interesting about this house was at the front of the house the Ballagh’s

always used to sit out on the front step. So what we wanted to do with the living

room was to allow the two existing doors that were there to open back against the

wall to reveal two windows behind that were acid etched and glazed. This

allowed the south light to pour into the room and cross ventilation through to the

courtyard. Unfortunately these doors are never really opened or used by the

Ballaghs.

8. Robert Ballagh has said “Instead, on a normal street someone might leave a

door open and, passing by, you would have a glimpse into a magnificent

courtyard. The oasis is on the inside. It turns the whole thing around,” he says.

“It’s the Japanese way.” How important was the concept of a courtyard?

Was the location of the courtyard an important consideration?

Yes I think for us the courtyard was primarily a technique used so that we could

illuminate both the kitchen and the studio and also ventilate them naturally. So

then the courtyard became a space which you could step into from the living

room. I don’t think we ever saw the space as being heavily used. We saw the

terrace above the studio as somewhere they would use and they did get chairs and

sit out for their morning coffee. What Robert is talking about, and what is actually

true, is when the Ballaghs got it they made the courtyard a sort of inward garden.

It became more lush with plants, and so on, as they took it over and made it their

own.

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In Asian architecture obviously that’s very important, where insular spaces break

up the plan and various spaces start to be revealed. I couldn’t say it was the central

core of the design. Probably the spatial matrix, the six parts like a puzzle was what

drove it as a concept rather than saying that the courtyard was the beginning and

end of the project. In terms of location, if you think about the six pieces and you

pull the central one out it allows the other two to be lit and ventilated and so on.

Also there was that visual connection across the living spaces.

9. Japanese houses had a strong spiritual and physical link with the natural

environment. Was the courtyard a way of connecting interior and exterior

spaces?

Yes. If you look at the drawings you’ll see the surface runs through. We had a

granite flag on the floor which ran from the courtyard into the studio and into the

kitchen where the worktop is constructed from it like a Loch Ness monster which

weaves through. So you can see in a way that the space can also read as one space.

You could say it’s like the back yards of the houses, a continuous surface that runs

through. What we like is that you start with a very strong idea like the central

courtyard, and then by allowing surfaces to run through glass and so on things

become connected both visually and spatially.

10. It has been said that you have a great love of materials. What influenced your

choice of materials for the Ballagh house? Why was wood used throughout?

Yes we do have a love of materials. I suppose the key thing for us and something

that we’ve been discussing recently is that we work with materials that are readily

available to us. For this house it was about bringing it back to a version of what it

was in itself. In a way it was a simple house, brick faced, plaster walls inside and

originally timber floors and stone floors. We wanted to use materials that

compliment that but maybe reinvent it for the modern age. We also use a

restricted palette of materials. We’re not interested in constantly adding materials

through. It’s always about playing down the use of materials so in that way back

to minimalism I suppose. For example there’s an iroko floor and then beside it an

iroko door.

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In that house we wanted to make a hall that was different, as before you used to

enter the house straight into the Ballagh’s living room. So we decided to make a

plywood box hall. What was nice for us was that you could make a kind of

container that you walk into and that was your front hall and then that container

opened up. So you came into this room where you didn’t quite know where the

door was and then there would be a door into the living room and a door which

led to Betty’s studio. So yes materials are very important to us. We quite like

materials that will do a number of things, for example brick can be a floor or form

a wall.

11. Was the use of concrete significant in creating a visual connection between

the spaces? “A concrete bench that moves across the back wall to form a

worktop in the kitchen, the steps to the courtyard and a desk in the studio.”

Why was concrete the chosen material?

The concrete came from the idea of something that grew out of the floor. It was

the desk for the studio, then a series of steps in the courtyard and finally the

kitchen worktop. So we enjoyed the fact that this material as concrete could do all

of these functions and in a way became one element that ran through.

12. I have read that you are “detail obsessives”! How important was the

attention to detail in the overall design? Is it more relevant in houses where

space is restricted?

Yes this was extremely important. We are probably detail obsessives. It comes as

well from working at a particular scale. Detail defines space. For me, an

understanding of what detail means and a demonstration of how something is

constructed is critical. If you think of Modernism ornament is detail. In terms of

that minimalist language what we start to do is reduce detail. It’s never an

additional thing; it’s always a reduction thing. For example, a shadow gap is

removal of an architrave or removal of a skirting board so you deal with it in a

different way. Also I think that in a lot of architectural schools and design schools,

people have lost the art of detailing and forget how important that is. These

decisions become critical when on site.

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13. Hidden storage in invisible spaces and sliding panels in walls is typical of

compact Japanese dwellings. How was the issue of storage dealt with in this

design? Was it important for you that the space was clean cut and

uncluttered?

Yes I suppose that was a trick that I learnt when I worked with John Pawson many

years ago. I enjoy the theory, as Louis Kahn says, of “served and servant spaces”

where if you possibly could have it you would have a room for a dressing room.

In the Ballagh’s we had enough room to put in a walk-in wardrobe. Primarily

when we do houses we build in all of the wardrobes. We would never be in a

situation where we haven’t built in enough storage space. So this for us is critical

in understanding that people have stuff. If you have somewhere to put the stuff

away the house looks neat. If you haven’t what do you do with it? For me, you

have to have a place where you can tidy stuff away. Living in a world without

chaos and also living in a house without chaos. It comes back to the sense of

Japanese Buddhism and a sense of peace and contemplation. It also represents

their culture and a particular idea of restraint as being a good thing and modesty as

being a good thing; a richness through modesty.

14. Did you want each space to have a specific use or was there a sense of

flexibility or adaptability in the overall design?

No. For this house we didn’t have enough room for that idea of universal space to

happen. This house was obviously bespoke in that it was built just for them. The

Ballagh’s were interested in having a house for their retirement and then that their

children could visit them. So there are two good sized guestrooms, the master

bedroom and bathroom, and then on the ground floor there is the cloakroom,

studio, living room and kitchen. So in the end of it all the house is not hugely full

of rooms. It was quite limited in what we could do.

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15. Do you feel that Japanese design has influenced contemporary Irish

buildings?

Yes I do. I’m interested in Japanese design. I think, in a way, there is a difference

between what is going on in the contemporary world of Japanese design and when

Japanese design changed the shape of modernism. I think, for me certainly,

Japanese design came through things like printmaking in the nineteenth century

which started opening up Japan as a place of cultural interest. Then you move into

architecture where I think Frank Lloyd Wright’s interest in Japanese architecture

was very important in terms of shifting western sensibility about rooms. He spoke

about ‘the destruction of the box’ where the box started to overlap and the rooms

started to overlap and then you started to explore the spaces in between and the

spaces that have eroded. Frank Lloyd Wright published all his works in 1918 and

then this was sent to Germany where Mies and various other architects picked up

this kind of new style which was very Japanese. Frank Lloyd Wright was

interested primarily in finding a new language, a new sense of style. So that led to

the idea that a space would be continuous in a way that room would link into room

and that you’re not designing one space after the other. And that is what interests

me about Japanese architecture. If you look at architects like Kazuyo Sejima, who

are around now, you can pick that up in their work. For example a building is

designed as one space which is divided through glazing and courtyards and the

like. I find it interesting how Western architecture, by adopting Japanese

architecture started to reinvent or reinvigorate itself. In a way they took

touchstones from the east and fed this into the International style. At the same

time Japanese architecture was being westernized by architects such as Tadao

Ando.

16. Do you think that we can learn from their design principals? Materials,

Light, Storage solutions, Relationship between interior and exterior etc.

Yes I think we can definitely learn from them. At the moment I am particularly

interested in their investigation of new materials. The sense of technology, say for

instance Toyo Ito’s work with Sendai Mediatheque and so on. I find their

experimentation with technology very interesting.

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17. It has been said that urban Japan holds many lessons about urban high

density living. Do you think that more people in Ireland are living in urban

areas and that housing design will need to adapt as a result?

Personally I’m very interested in urbanism of the city. I think we have to reinvent

the Irish city on many levels. For example, how we make public space, how we

develop infrastructure, how we make sure the transport links allow us to get to the

city. Even in a sense of how we tackle dereliction and issues like that at an urban

scale. For me the image of Japan is one big urban sprawl. Having never been there

myself, I can see the Japanese housing as being much smaller but maybe not

dense enough. The city centre is extremely dense and then you hit this low level

housing that seems to go on for miles and that worries me. I think we have to learn

to become city dwellers. I think that is a generational thing and for the next

generation it’ll be easier again. I feel inherently we are a rural nation and we are

living the rural life with a house and a garden and so on. So yes I do think we have

to reinvent the Irish city and take it very seriously. Actually we need to be quite

radical about it and I don’t think we are ever radical enough.

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Appendix B

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Interview Two: Ballagh House, Temple Cottages, Dublin

Robert Ballagh - 3 Temple Cottages, Dublin 7.

Wednesday 14th

December 2011

1. What was your vision for the house?

We had been living in Number 3, Temple Cottages since the nineteen sixties. It

had been Betty’s family home. Then when we got the chance we bought house

Number 4. We decided to do the conversion ourselves and by digging a hole

through the centre wall, we joined the two houses. When the opportunity arose we

also bought Number 5 and realized we couldn’t burrow through this time but

needed to do it properly and hire architects. We approached McCullough Mulvin

Architects who were too busy at the time so they recommended Dermot Boyd and

Peter Cody instead. We wanted a central courtyard in the house and I had drawn

up plans of this prior to meeting the architects. Our intention was to create more

space and bring light into the house.

2. The original terrace exterior of the house was retained. Was it important to

you that the original character was kept?

It was very important to us that the front of the house would stay the same. The

original front doors are still there with Number 3 used as the current front door

while the other two act as shutters with glazed doors placed behind them. The

original windows also remain the same.

3. The house has been described as “ultra minimalist”. Would you agree or how

would you describe the style of the house?

I suppose the house could be described as minimalist. The clean lines of the

structure have that language. I wouldn’t say it is ultra minimalist though as this

implies there is something inhuman about it. It is a much lived in space. We have

added our own touches with a mix of furniture such as the Le Corbusier dining

table and Mies chairs.

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4. It has been said that the “rooms layer and look through to one another, rather

like a Japanese box puzzle”. Did you want to have connecting views between

each space?

Yes we wanted connecting views between the different rooms. The courtyard links

the surrounding spaces and also has glazed sliding doors that allow the spaces to

open up. In a sense the living spaces grew around the courtyard. The Japanese

puzzle could refer to the plywood entrance hall which is a closed wooden box with

seemingly hidden doors opening into the living room and into the hall beside the

study.

5. There is a strong focus on incorporating natural light in the design. Was this a

very important element for you as an artist? Do you feel that it has been

successful in its application?

Yes it was very important to us that the new house would be bright and airy. The

courtyard was a way of opening up the house and drawing the light down so that it

would flood into the enclosed spaces. The rooms were positioned to make the best

use of natural light. The main bedroom is glazed along the east-facing side which

allows the morning sun to enter and fill the room. The roller blind can be used to

control the sun and also protects privacy. The study on the ground floor makes use

of the evening sun while the west facing terrace above it also attracts plenty of

sunshine.

6. You have been quoted as saying “Instead, on a street in an old part of an

Andalucian town someone might leave a door open and, passing by, you would

have a glimpse into a magnificent courtyard. The oasis is on the inside. It turns

the whole thing around.” How important was the concept of a courtyard for

you?

The vision for the new house started with the concept of a central courtyard.

However this turned out to be quite wasteful with a small narrow space behind and

to the front. So we decided to move the courtyard to the back wall and the house

formed a u-shape around it.

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We were inspired by the Moors when we visited Spain and North Africa. The idea

that the front door opens into a hidden space really intrigued us. I hate ostentation.

Huge Irish mansions in the countryside that exhibit wealth just don’t appeal to me.

It’s the Japanese way of turning it all around, for example traditional Japanese

houses are always plain on the outside. Also in Roman times houses were always

built around courtyards.

7. Japanese houses had a strong spiritual and physical link with the natural

environment. Do you feel your house captures this element?

The courtyard and terrace were a means of opening up the house to the natural

environment. The sliding screens leading into the courtyard act as an intermediate

between outside and inside. We have added plants and so on since we moved in.

For example the cast head sculpture in the courtyard is a replica of one of the

riverine heads found on the Custom House. It represents the River Lee in Cork and

is one of the fourteen keystones found on the façade.

8. It has been said that Boyd Cody architects have a great love of materials. Do

you like how wood and concrete are the main materials used throughout?

We were happy with the choice of materials and how they blended with the

original features. There was one thing we did change however. The courtyard

walls were originally grey plaster, a finish which matched the concrete steps and

stone floor. We found it dull and felt it wasn’t achieving what we wanted. It has

since been painted white which has made the space much brighter as the sun

reflects off the white walls and into the living spaces.

9. Glass is used throughout the house. Are there any issues with privacy or

excessive glare?

I must admit I was astonished at how successful the glass turned out to be. We

used double glazed units throughout and they really do work.

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There are roller blinds throughout the house which prevent glare and also maintain

privacy especially for the master bedroom. We also put frosted film on the

bathroom door to ensure privacy from the flats behind.

10. How important was the attention to detail in the overall design? Is it more

relevant to you as an artist?

I think detail is incredibly important and so hard to achieve. I find that virtually no

builders in Ireland specialize in detailing which means that the finish is often less

than perfect. For example the shadow gap we used instead of skirting boards isn’t

as neatly finished in some parts as I would have hoped. I studied architecture for a

number of years and also spent some time working as a draftsman where the work

was incredibly detailed. Also as an artist, detail is very important in my work. It

may take longer but it is worth it in the end.

11. Is there anything which you would do differently?

We were really happy with how the house turned out. It is a pleasant, comfortable

house to live in. The only thing I might change would be the kitchen cupboards as

they’re placed quite high making it hard to reach things!

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Boyd, Dermot, Interview by author, Tape Recording, Dublin, November 23, 2001

Ballagh, Robert, Interview by author, Dublin, December 15, 2001

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