House in Toguchi is a project designed by Sakai Architects. Designed for an emergency medicine physician and beautician couple with three children and a dog, the house with a small hair salon is located in a lush area overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the northern part of Amami Oshima Island. Although the part of the tropical island is not conveniently located, with only some vacation homes and guesthouses around, the couple chose the location for two reasons: One is to raise their children in nature; the other is to offer the client, who is engaged in the demanding job of an ER doctor, a refreshing moment to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and return to a nature-rich environment. The site, spanning over 1,000 m2, gradually slopes down seven meters from the mountain to the sea, and the house is laid out to minimize its interference with the landscape. Photography by blitz studio.
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The northwest section of the plot toward the mountain is occupied by the two-story residence, while the ocean side is covered with a terrace, which acts as a buffer between the inside and outside, and the hair salon is tucked between the two. Visitors access the house?s living room and the salon from the terrace, instead of the front door. The unique circulation reflects the old custom that relatives and close friends used engawa as an entrance.

Inside the residential quarter, the first floor consists of the wet area and stor...