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Void Space/Hinged Space Housing

Fukuoka, Japan

From hinged space to the silence of void space. Four active north facing voids interlock with four quiet south facing voids to bring a sense of the sacred into domestic life. To ensure emptiness, the south voids are flooded with water, generating flickering reflections. The 28 apartment interiors are conceptualized as “hinged space,” a modern interpretation of the multi-use concept of traditional Fusuma. Diurnal hinging allows expansion of the living area during the day, reclaimed by bedrooms at night. Episodic hinging reflects change in family over time; rooms can be added or subtracted accommodating grown-up children leaving or elderly parents moving in. A sense of passage is heightened by three types of access, by allowing apartments to have exterior front doors, and by interlocking apartments like a complex Chinese box.

Client
Fukuoka Jisho Co.
Location
Fukuoka, Japan
Years
1989–1991
Size
45,671 sq ft
Status
Complete
architect
Steven Holl Architects
Steven Holl (design architect)
Hideaki Ariizumi, Pier Luigi Copat (project team)