The design is adapted from passive energy principles applied in the world-famous Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto.

‘This is a villa situated about an hour’s rapid train ride from Tokyo in a mountain resort of Karuizawa, Japan. It is basically a wooden structure with the peripheral balconies in steel. The design is adapted from passive energy principles applied in the world-famous Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. The only artificially operated system is the radiant hot-water heating embedded in the floor, running the entire length of the peripheral fenestration with heat pump air conditioning units as supplements just in case.

Legal and binding design guidelines in the area required a roof slope of 1:5 minimum, eave length of 500 mm minimum, and a limited selection of exterior colouring.

1. Natural passive energy means include but are not limited to the following:
2. exterior insulation with
3. air circulation paths in between exterior and interior finishes
4. cross ventilation under the ground floor to protect against humidity
5. overall cross ventilation with open able windows
6. complete fenestration on the south with
7. airtight, high-insulation composite sash with
8. double-pane glass
9. allowing low winter sun penetration and blocking high summer sun
10. use of deciduous trees in the south similarly allowing low winter sun penetration and blocking high summer sun
11. extended eaves to provide shade
12. double floor living space to act as passive solar collector
13. fireplace in the living space to burn trash
14. ceiling fans to circulate warm air
15. highly insulating natural Japanese stucco (with embedded maple leaves)
16. use of laminated bamboo instead of wood for floors, built-in furniture, cabinets, doors, and closets, as bamboo is very fast-growing (and hence more ecological than wood) and profusely abundant in Japan)
17. use of fluorescent and LED lights
18. corrugated metal exterior finish for easy maintenance and sustainability
19. reflective silver roofing for insulation and temperature control’

ARCHITECT: Edward Suzuki Associates, Tokyo, Japan. LOCATION: Karuizawa, Japan. DESCRIPTION: residential. STATUS: completed. AREA: 677.25 sqm. DATE: 2010. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Morfae and the copyright owner.