Même Experimental House by Kengo Kuma & Associates

Kengo Kuma & Associates turned to vernacular architecture in constructing Même Experimental House in Hokkaido, Japan. Basing their structure on the form of the localized chise, “house of earth.” The vernacular forms use bamboo grass or sedge for façade insulation, and often accommodate an ever-lit fire to strengthen the effect of geothermal heating. Même Experimental House adapts the idea of a central hotspot, yet modernizes the membrane across the house’s wooden frame by using a double-layered skin with polyester insulator that allows for the circulation of air in between for temperature regulation. The sheer façade also encourages temporal conservation, as sunrise and sunset dictate working and sleeping hours, aligning lifestyle with the proximate presence of nature.