Japanese architect Takeshi Hosaka has completed an innovative residential project called Kaku-Kaku Kanadel, a distinctive courtyard house in Tokyo designed specifically for a family of three practicing artists. The residence successfully balances individual creative workspaces with shared family living areas, creating a domestic environment that seamlessly accommodates both private artistic work and communal family life.
The house features a unique architectural composition of four interconnected volumes, each distinguished by its own distinct roof form. Together, these structures create a small village-like configuration that is thoughtfully connected through a network of gardens, terraces, and passageways. This innovative arrangement establishes multiple outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces that naturally encourage both privacy and social interaction, evoking the intimate atmosphere of traditional Japanese alleys and courtyards.
The spatial organization reflects the family's artistic needs, with each family member receiving a dedicated wing tailored to their specific creative practice. One wing is designed for scriptwriting, another for illustration work, and the third for musical practice and performance. A centrally located shared living room serves as the anchor point of the entire floor plan, functioning as the primary gathering space where the family comes together.
Takeshi Hosaka's architectural team carefully organized the spatial layout to allow simultaneous creative activities throughout the household while maintaining important visual and spatial connections through the strategically placed open courtyards and terraces. This design approach ensures that family members can work independently in their specialized spaces while remaining connected to the overall household rhythm.
The project's distinctive name carries deep meaning, derived from three Japanese words that reflect the family's artistic practices: 'kaku' (書く, meaning to write), 'kaku' (描く, meaning to draw), and 'kanadel' (奏でる, meaning to play music). The architecture thoughtfully translates these three distinct modes of creative expression into spatial form, where the individual roof designs express each person's artistic identity while the overall arrangement of buildings and connecting pathways creates a strong collective family identity.
