Commissioned to create a family residence in an area known for its cold, snowy winters and hot summers, Florian Busch Architects has completed the House W. Taking the form of a timber barn-inspired structure that’s partially covered in solar panels, the home’s energy efficient design allows it to harness almost twice as much power as it requires annually.
House W is located in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan. The home is situated on the site of an old farmer’s barn and is surrounded rice paddies and asparagus fields, so draws inspiration from this setting.
The exterior is part-finished in a solar skin that allows it to run off-the-grid (together with a battery array). A studio representative told us that there are 56 panels installed, resulting in a total capacity of 23 kW. This is combined with a heat pump that’s connected to a nearby water source and offers a relatively constant temperature throughout the year, allowing it to run the underfloor heating as well as producing warm water for the house.
We’ve no figures on the home’s actual power usage, but Florian Busch Architects says the solar panels provide almost twice as much as its requirements, annually.
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Structurally, it’s primarily constructed from timber and takes the form of two parts of a barn split open and connected with glazing. This unusual design came about due to budget constraints.
“Ironically, the idea of breaking a large simple volume into pieces was triggered by an initial requirement which in the end was lifted,” explains Florian Busch Architects. “In light of the volatile construction market, the clients had requested to study the possibility of splitting the project into phases.
“While we ended up constructing phases 1 and 2 together, the design and construction of a third – a shed for storage and workshop – originally intended as a future annex, began before phase 1 was even completed. The strategy of splitting a larger volume into pieces and rotating them provides the basis for the annex(es) to preserve the integrity of the overall, complement not undo it.”
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The interior measures 163 sq m (1,754 sq ft), spread over two floors, and looks light-filled thanks to all that glazing. Timber is used throughout and the rooms have high ceilings and open layouts. It’s arranged around the central glazed area. This helps encourage airflow and movement inside the home, while adjustable louvers are used to control sunlight, blocking it in summer and maximizing it for warmth in winter.
