Whether or not any thought has been put in, a structure has a relationship with its surroundings, and the House in Hidaka offers an example of a building that has a good relationship with the landscape around it.
The project was executed by the Suppose Design Office for clients who wish to feel as though their home would create a strong connection with the earth. The solution was to sink the two-storey dwelling half a floor below the surface of the soil and introduce open fenestration just above.
The result is a space that emphasizes horizontality and allows the inhabitants to look out of the windows with the fields at eye level. For improved privacy in the bedrooms, the top floor of the House in Hidaka, Japan, conceals much more behind cladding than the lower level divulges.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Sunken Architecture
- Innovative buildings that are sunk into the ground for a better relationship with their surroundings offer opportunities for disruptive sustainable design in architecture.
- Horizon Emphasis
- Spaces that emphasize horizontality provide opportunities for innovative interior and furniture design that focus on the alignment of visual elements along the horizontal plane.
- Submerged Fenestration
- Windows or other openings submerged below ground level offer opportunities for innovative lighting and ventilation design solutions that allow views of the surrounding landscape without compromising privacy.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Architecture
- The sunken architecture trend presents opportunities for the design, construction, and engineering industries to collaborate on innovative solutions that prioritize sustainable design.
- Interior Design
- The trend of emphasizing horizontal spaces provides an opportunity for interior designers to create unique and visually compelling spaces that maximize the impact of visual elements along the horizontal plane.
- Construction Materials
- Materials that allow for submerged fenestration and subterranean structures present an opportunity for the construction industry to innovate materials and design solutions that enable sustainable building practices.
