AZUMA HOUSE BY ANDO

Row House - Sumiyoshi

Who is TADAO ANDO?
Tadao Ando is an
architect of light,
a master of space,
And an enigma of
the architecture realm.
Ando became an
Overnight sensation
with the Row House.
And yet he never
Underwent any formal
Architecture training,
Originally employed
As a carpenter , his
interest in architecture
Developed when he
found a book of
Le Corbusier‘s sketches
abed traced over
the drawings "so
Many times that all
The sketches turned
black".
Children's School
Church of the light
Ibaraki-shi , Osaka
Prefecture, Japan
 What is the AZUMA HOUSE?
The New Version
of Old Row House,
usually referred to
as the Row House,
or Azuma House
(named after the
client) is built on a
very narrow lot in
a core urban Row
house neighborhood.
Ando inserted a
simple , narrow
concrete rectangular
residence.
During construction
,the adjacent build
Ings were left
untouched.
Architect : Tadao Ando
Location : Osaka, Japan
Date : 1976
Building :Type row house, small house
Construction System: Concrete
Climate : Semitropical
Context : Dense urban
Style : Modern
Details
Site area: 57 sq meters
Building area: 34 sq meters
Total floor area: 65 sq meters
Term of planning: 1/1975-8/1975
Term of construction: 10/1975-2/1976
- A simple block building which is inserted in a narrow street of row
houses.
- Immediately noticeable because of its blank concrete façade
punctuated only by a doorway.
- Barely noticed as a house designed by a world famous
architect.

Site Context: Azuma House with its surrounding

Three equally sized rectangular volumes:
Two enclosed volumes of interior spaces separated by an
open courtyard.
Windowless facades.
To allow natural light
penetrates is only through the
courtyard.
No interaction with the
surroundings.

A bridge spans the courtyard and joins with a side staircase

that descends to the courtyard.
The courtyard completely open to the sky above.

Courtyard becomes an integral part of the house’s circulatio

system.
It is entirely wrapped up with concrete, no greenery.
Introducing nature elements “light, wind, rain water”
Experience nature without distractions of city.
Introduce natural phenomena that are being forgotten in the city.
Bringing lifestyle out
of chaos
Enclosing geometric
walls of thick
concrete.
Create private barrier
between the urban
street and interior
living space

Simplicity
His designs generally
incorporate minimal
ornamentation on the
walls of the building.
Minimal composition
of boxes creates the
front facade.
Ando says, “I do not believe architecture should speak too much. It should remain silent and let nature in the guise
of sunlight and wind speak.”

Materiality
Ando’s staple materials: concrete
Reinforced concrete defines spaces in unique new ways
that allow constantly changing patterns of light and wind.

Tactility
The light and shadows conditions on
the façade interpreted the concrete wall
seems to be soft.

Powerful concrete walls with light and nature to create a

deep sense of peace.
 illuminating the AZUMA HOUSE

Because the Azuma

house is windowless
on all sides and only
receives light from
its courtyard, an
artificial lighting
system is created for
the evening.
During the evening,
the back of the
room is illuminated
through the walls
to provide adequate
lighting.

The use of light and space

to create a spiritual
feeling and connection
with nature is Ando’s
architectural signature.
 “In all my works, light is an important controlling factor,”
says Ando.

Interplay between light

and dark.

Tone drawings Light and Shadow Drawings

Even later in the evening
when more lighting is required,
soft red light
emits through the square
openings in the walls.
The red light coming from
these small openings
encompasses the building,
allowing it to be adequately
lit.
With the exception of
the kitchen/dining/bath
grouping, one must go
outside to pass between
rooms even during the
winter and rainy
seasons.
If one had to go to the
bathroom at night, one
had to go outside
through the courtyard.
Ando acknowledged, as
his critics pointed out,
that this was
inconvenient.
The inhabitance

small space of

the building

also allows for

less energy

to be used in

the building

(e.g. lighting

purposes,

maintenance).

The interior

Courtyard

compensates for

this reduced

physical space.
 SOURCE:
www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Azuma_House.html
www.wiki.architecture.rmit.edu.au/data/.../tech3_assn1_azumahouse.pdf
www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Azuma_House
www.ronenbekerman.com/sketchup-model-giveaway-tadao-andos-azuma-house
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Azuma_house.JP
www.architravel.com/architravel/building/134
www.thearender.com/cms/index.php/.../254-azuma-house.html
https://www.azuma.com
www.43places.com/places/.../tadao-ando-azuma-house-osaka-osaka-fu