VANILLA
year: 2006-2008
use: house
location: yokohama-city, Kanagawa
floor: 3
structure: Steel
site area: 70.0m2
building area: 36.58m2
total floor area: 109.74m2
building coverage ratio: 60%
floor area ratio: 200%
structural design: Kenji Nawa
construction: Daido Kensetsu, T.Kazuo
photo: Hiroyuki Hirai
staff in charge: Haruka Kodama
October Ueda and Nakagawa Architects

Near to train stations, very small but expensive, cars must be parked within (because it is also very expensive to rent a space for cars) ; these are typical conditions of sites in Tokyo metropolitan region for corporate employees who want to buy lands and build their own houses. Fire protection is required if a site is near to train stations. Ground condition may be bad if a land is newly developed. In the end, the budgets for their houses become very limited.

Since the 20th century, what is called "the masses" has been the biggest client for culture. Architecture has been slightly exceptional; but in the last 15 years, the development of internet (and increase of introduction of architects' houses) has changed the situation. The people become not hesitate to ask designing their own houses. Our clients are neither kings nor nobles. We are not designing Palazzo.

The site of vanilla is of the condition. In addition, the budget was limited (half of our average). We had to realize that spatial concepts or contextual concepts did not work. This is lack of concepts or concept in itself. What is called "function" is of economy and economy is of history. What we did is just following the conditions using available materials and obtained something naked from the conditions.