House Interiors

The layout of this house is adopted from the machiya townhouse layout wherein it can be divided into public zones, private zones, and the indoor courtyard.

The public zones are spaces where the guests are allowed to stay while inside the house. These spaces are the living room and the dining room.

The private zones are spaces where there is generally some restriction with entry. These spaces are the kitchen, the toilets and baths, the storage space, and the bedrooms.

The indoor courtyard is the private green space and a source of ventilation of the house.

All rooms have windows and with the spaces of assembly, like the living area and the dining area, and the bedrooms having the most access to passive ventilation to ensure human comfort. Service and utility spaces, like the kitchen, the toilets, and the baths, have smaller windows for natural air exchange when necessary.

Stack effect is present in the kitchen and the indoor courtyard. The indoor courtyard acts as the main wind catcher for the house. Air travels from the indoor courtyard circulating through the other parts of the house. Smaller windows in the kitchen facilitate this effect in the kitchen in a continuous cycle.

All windows are provided slits. Wide exterior openings have narrower slits to block views into the house. Narrower exterior openings have wider slits to accommodate glass panels. Awning windows in the toilets and the baths do not have any slits for easier maintenance.