Japanese architects design house on stilts to protect from adverse weather

The entire 112-square-metre house is supported by concrete piles that extend a depth of nine metres into the earth

Spotted:  Tokyo-based studio Unemori Architects has incorporated concrete stilts into their recently designed house to protect it from the region’s harsh climate, which often includes flooding and heavy snowfall. The house is in the Japanese city of Takaoka and has been raised by 70 centimetres.  

The house was designed for a family of four, a couple and their two daughters who told Dezeen that they approached the architects to create a house that would “respond to the region’s harsh climate.” Located on a deep lot in an old district of Takaoka, the area is especially prone to flooding in the winters due to a nearby river. 

As for the design, the white and wooden building is 112-square-metres and features large windows that allow maximum daylight to enter and provide views of the sky. The house is divided into three parts with varying floor and ceiling heights. The tallest space presents an open-plan living area. The main bedroom is positioned on the opposite side of the courtyard. A separate, elevated space adjoining the living room contains the children’s bedrooms that are reached via a set of stairs. 

The entire house is supported by concrete piles that extend a depth of nine metres into the earth. Wooden roof beams span the living spaces and are reinforced by concrete pillars. According to Dezeen, the floors hang from the structure using steel rods, leaving the underside of the building free for airflow and protected from flooding and snow.   

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