Launch pad: standing defiantly on a suburban hilltop, the Y House declares war on conventionality.In the somewhat culturally starved starve v. starved, starv·ing, starves v.intr. 1. To suffer or die from extreme or prolonged lack of food. 2. Informal To be hungry. 3. To suffer from deprivation. region of Nagoya City--the venue for this year's World Expo (AR June 2005)--a young couple's anti-suburban house from maverick designers Power Unit Studio battles against lazily packaged homogeneous architecture. Unconventionality does not have to lead to brashness brash 1 adj. brash·er, brash·est 1. a. Hasty and unthinking; impetuous. b. Rash. 2. Lacking in sensitivity or tact. 3. Presumptuously forward; impudent. , however. Surprisingly modest, the house reveals little from the street. It is not until you enter that its full force is deployed, dramatically opening out into an expansive living room that follows the site's topographical slope. A steep concrete floor leads directly to the back of the house, before cantilevering out into the garden, overlooking the forest beyond. Privacy is maximised, curtains and blinds are put away, and occupants exist in their own world behind gravity-defying concrete blinkers blinkers 1. rigid pieces of leather fitted to a head harness at a point where they will obstruct the horse's lateral vision. 2. a more sophisticated piece of harness worn by expensive horses consisting of a canvas head-covering with holes for the ears to protrude and two that screen unsightly un·sight·ly adj. un·sight·li·er, un·sight·li·est Unpleasant or offensive to look at; unattractive. See Synonyms at ugly. un views. As thin as they are, the angular screens give the impression of a house that is curiously buoyant with no visible means of support A term employed in Vagrancy statutes to test whether an individual has any apparent ability to provide for himself or herself financially. A person who has no visible means of support and loiters in a public place might be arrested and prosecuted for vagrancy. . This visual precariousness is further heightened by the kitchen hovering hov·er intr.v. hov·ered, hov·er·ing, hov·ers 1. To remain floating, suspended, or fluttering in the air: gulls hovering over the waves. 2. on one side, the bathroom floating off on the other, and the studio hanging over the living room. A large glass screen in the studio offers a vantage point for observing the comings and goings below, adding a curious contour to the house. It is no surprise that children have been discovered playing war games in the forest, using the house as their enemy headquarters. You don't need childish make-believe, however, to see the space as something other than a house, be it an army HQ, astronomical research laboratory, or aircraft carrier. Whatever it is, as the architect explains, it was always intended for a family, with the studio reserved for children. Despite the intention, less child-friendly features proliferate pro·lif·er·ate v. To grow or multiply by rapidly producing new tissue, parts, cells, or offspring. , not least the balcony edge and sharp corners, but also a large rectangular hole strategically inserted in the study to bring light to the basement area below. With a 10 metre drop, enough to make cautious adults weak at the knees, it is hoped that children growing up in this house will be smarter and more agile. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In concept both daring and playful, the couple engaged fully with the architect and his construction team during the fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. of the house, all responding well to a difficult job. Minor defects in the floor required some making good, although the imperfections and idiosyncrasies ultimately give the house more character. This is not a place to interrogate (1) To search, sum or count records in a file. See query. (2) To test the condition or status of a terminal or computer system. each and every detail; it is instead a place in which to lose yourself, and to let your imagination take off, sitting on the balcony edge gazing into the forest beyond. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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