“Floating Tranquility”
 
 
Not far from the center of Tokushima City, the Shinmachi River flows quietly to the south, and the bustle of the town gradually fades into the distance. In a calm corner of this urban landscape, the house appears gently, as if emerging from silence itself.
Seen from the street, the building reveals a striking composition: a solid concrete first floor supporting a light wooden second floor that seems to hover in midair. The contrast naturally draws the eye, instilling in the viewer a subtle tension, both still and refined.
 
The approach to the entrance unfolds beneath deep eaves, embraced by greenery that forms a semi-outdoor realm. Here, the hardness of concrete meets the softness of plants, blurring the boundary between outside and inside. With each step across the stone pavement, the murmur of the wind and the whisper of leaves reach the ear, gently guiding the heart away from noise and toward a world of quietude.
 
At the rear of the first floor lies a modest Japanese room, standing serenely as though it were breathing. Surrounded by concrete, yet softened by tatami mats and shoji screens, the space absorbs natural materials into its calm embrace. Light filtered through the shoji casts delicate shadows upon walls and floors, and the room seems to embody the very form of “silence,” suspending all sense of passing time.
 
Ascending the stairs, one enters the second floor filled with the warmth and fragrance of wood. Its hovering structure brings not only physical lightness but also a sense of spiritual release. At the center is a courtyard, shielded from surrounding views, offering a moment in which one can feel at one with nature even within the city. When the large glass windows are opened, wind and light circulate softly through the rooms, dissolving the distinction between interior and exterior.
 
This house is a quiet vessel that holds together urban convenience and natural serenity. Heaviness and softness, shadow and light, enclosure and openness, inside and outside—opposing elements coexist in delicate balance. From this harmony emerges an atmosphere that can only be described as “floating tranquility.”
Living here, daily life begins to breathe gently, and the mind is quietly restored—as if one’s very existence were drifting in silent unity with the architecture itself.
 
 
Located in Tokushima, Tokushima
Completion : Jul. 2024
Use : Exclusive Occupation House
Structure : RC Frame Structure + Wooden / 2 stories
Site Area : 487.45 sq m
Building Area : 131.89 sq m
Total Floor Area : 196.75 sq m
Photo : Kazunori Nomura