K Residence
location : Hiruta-gun, Hokkaido
year complete : 2012
usage : Private house
gross floor area : 657 m2
structure : RC structure
architect : riccardo tossani architecture
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The K House is a private house located in Hiruta-Gun, province of Hokkaido with a clear view on the Niseko Mountain to the south and on the Mount Yotei volcano to the north. The living room opened at the full height gives an outstanding perspective of the outside landscape . The rest of the volume is divided into three floors (including a basement) where are spread four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a guest suite, a library, an office, a playroom, a media room, car garages and storages.
The structure is mainly designed in concrete with a mix of reinforced concrete walls and columns. Floors are made of simply supported concrete slabs spanning between concrete girders or supporting concrete walls. The mezzanine floor is supported via a central column and a very slender portion of wall. While the internal volume is covered with a concrete slab the external part of the roof are timber rafters supported by the range of columns coming to the edge of it.
The resistance to lateral forces such as earthquakes that are quite significant in that region is provided by the concrete columns and walls internally and H-type braces on the front facade. The concrete slabs at each level are working as a diaphragm to spread the load evenly throughout the structure. The iconic facade made of timber columns have been designed to support the external part of the roofs. A very special care has been taken to the detailing of the external timber column bracing at the front.
