A case study paper about the natural elements used in the Azuma House and in Traditional Japanese Architecture

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Table of contents
Abstract- 2
1.0 Introduction
1.1 IntroductiontoBuilding - 4
1.2 Questions - 5
2.0 Traditional Japanese Architectureandthe use of Nature
2.1 IntroductiontoJapanese Architecture- 6
2.2 Nature inJapanese Architecture - 7
2.3 Closerlookatthe designelements –7
2.4 Effectivenessof the ElementsinVentilationandIllumination - 10
3.0 Natural ElementsinAzumaHouse
3.1 Introductiontothe Use of Natural Elementsinthe AzumaHouse - 12
3.2 The Effectivenessof the AzumaHouse in Natural VentilationandIllumination - 14
4.0 How doesthe use of such elementsmake the userfeel? - 15
Conclusion - 17
References - 18

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Abstract
The purpose of mystudyistoinvestigate theuse of naturalelementspresentinJapaneseArchitecture
and inthe AzumaHouse.These natural elementsprovide ameansof ventilationandilluminationand
has beena staple insuch architecture.Therefore,it isimportanttoidentifythe effectivenessof such
natural elements and the ways in which these elements can be modernised and adopted into
contemporary architecture.
Inorderensure the validityof myinformationandresearch,Irefertomultipleresourcesfrominternet
articles,interviewsandbooks,regardingthe use of natural elementsinJapaneseArchitecture andthe
thoughts and vision Tadao Ando held during the creation of the Azuma House. In order to obtain a
greater understanding of the topic at hand, I have looked at the Celluloid Jam by N Maeda Atelier
locatedinYokohama,Japan,andtraditional Japanesehomesasameansof providingabroaderrange
of the use of natural elements in traditional and contemporary buildings.
Through these case studies I have developed a better understanding of the ideals that come from
Japanese Architecture and how Tadao Ando has adopted these ideals and principles in creating the
Azuma House,inwhich he designsaninnercourtyard similarto traditional buildingsdesignedinthe
style of Shinden-zukuri,inwhichsymmetrical spacesare placedtoforminnergardensthathelpblend
the building in with the overall site. However, Tadao Ando, does this to a certain extent, however
omitting the concept of blending in, and instead uses it as a method to create a contrast from the
general surroundings in an attempt of providing nature in a site that otherwise would not have.
However, with the Celluloid Jam, the incorporation of nature becomes more intangible and this can
be seen as a modern adaptation of the ideas and philosophies of the use of nature in Japanese
Architecture. Instead of a direct response to the nature that surrounds the Celluloid Jam, Maeda
attempts to create a structure which flows together with the land though not mimicking it. When
comparedto the use of natural elementsusedintraditional Japanese houses,one cansee the more

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literal approach,suchas Shoji wallsthat are usedto provide openwallsthatallow ventilationaswell
as natural sunlighttoenterthese spacesandthe use of natural materialssuchaswheatandwood.As
you can see, this development from the traditional to the contemporary, seems to lose the more
functional aspectsof the idealsandpropertiesof JapaneseArchitecture inattempt of creatingpoetry.
Thismaybe due tothe developmentof technologyandhowthe rapidmodernizationandeaseof living
provided by said developments tend to omit the need for such strategies and with this reliance in
technology has made our species, as a whole - weaker.

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1.0 Introduction
1.1 Introduction to Building
The Azuma House, designed by Japanese Architect, Tadao Ando, is among one of his earliest
projects. Located in a small neighbourhood in Sumiyoshi, Osaka, the Azuma House was completed
sometime in1976.It’sflatandrobustconcrete façade isamajorcontrast tothe surroundingbuildings
where the Azuma House is located, which, at that time, were traditional wooden Japanese style
houses. Tadao Ando fancies himself to be an anarchic architect, in the sense that he strives to go
against norms in conventional architecture, choosing to design more bold and eccentric buildings.
The Azuma House is symmetrical in its overall design with a centralized courtyard wedged in
betweentwoblocksof spaces,bothsplitintotwofloors.The purposeof thiscourtyardismainlyused
for ventilationandlighting,butitisalsousedto expose the occupantstonature as much as possible.
This is because in order to move from one of these spaces to the other,one would have to traverse
throughthe courtyard.AccordingtoTadaoAndo,thiswasintentional ashisgoal forthe AzumaHouse
was to incorporate nature into the lives of the occupants of the Azuma House. Located in this
courtyard is alsoa skybridge that connectsthe two firstfloorspacestogetherand the onlystaircase
leadingtothe firstfloor,bothof whicharen’tsheltered.This helpsenforceTadaoAndo’svisionof the
Azuma House.

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Figure 1: Floor Plan ofthe AzumaHouse with the entrance on the left and the courtyard located in the center.
The overall size of the Azuma House isn’t too massive as well, being only approximately 34 meters
square in its total building area, it fits snuggly into its 57 square meter site.
1.2 Questions
In order to helpkeepmy studyon track, I have proposedfive questionsthatI aim to answer
as I progress along with this paper. The following five questions are;
Question1: (Intro) Whatdoesit meanbynatural elementsinthe contextof Japanese Architecture?
Question 2: How effective is the incorporation of natural elements in terms of Lighting and
Ventilation?
Question 3: Comparison of the natural elements as used in Japanese Architecture and the Azuma
House.
Question 4: How do these factors affect the overall living experience of the user in terms of both
Japanese Architecture and the Azuma house?
Question 5: How can the current practices in Japanese Architecture and in the Azuma House be
utilised to help design sustainable buildings?

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2.0 Traditional Japanese Architecture andthe use of Nature
2.1 Introduction to Japanese Architecture
Japanese Architecture, like most other types of architecture in the past, were based on
religion. Shinto, the primary religionof Japan, focuses on the idea of ‘Kami’, spiritsthat are found in
everything both organic and inorganic. Stones, trees, leaves,dirt and animals all have spiritswith in
them and therefore, architects believe it is important in some way shape or form to appease them
withtheirarchitecture.Thatiswhynature can be seenincorporatedintoJapanese architecture often
and isthroughthisthat we see and understand the importance of nature in Japanese Architecture.
Figure 2: Painting ofone themorefamous
‘Kami’, Amaterasu, the sun goddess.

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2.2 Nature in Japanese Architecture
Besidesthe processof appeasingthe ‘Kami’of the landin whichthe buildingsare beingbuilt
on,nature incorporated intoJapaneseArchitect alsoshowsitselfintheformof thebuildinganddesign
elementsof mostJapaneseBuildings.Whileinotherpartsof the world,buildingstendtobe tallerand
aim to be high,witheach newskyscraperbeingtallerthanits predecessor.Onthe otherhand, when
looking at Japanese architecture,buildings tend to be wider and often times low lying. This is partly
due to the respectthat Japanese Architectsaimtogive towardsthe respective ‘Kami’andtoblendin
and be one with nature. Other design elements as well, such as;
A. Shoji Walls – Thin Paper Walls
B. Use of Natural Materials – Woods and Straw mats (Tatami)
C. Courtyard House – Openings in the centre of the house that allow ventilation and natural
lighting.
All these elements come together help bring the building closer to nature by essentially
amalgamating both built environment and natural environment in to a singular design.
2.3 Closer look at the design elements
2.3a Shoji Walls
Shoji Wallsare paperwallsthatare heldinsideawoodenframe.Thesewallsare modularand
can be movedaroundtoopenuproomsto make spacesfeel bigger.Notonlythat,the ShojiWallscan
be openedtothe outside toallowventilationandnatural daylighttoenterintothese spaces.AsIsaid
earlier,thisopennesstowardsthe outside is some of the ways of how Japanese Architecture aimsto
be closer to nature.

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2.3b Natural Materials
The use of natural materialsinJapanese Architecture wasthroughthe conceptof blendingin
withthe environment,beingina state of harmonyand balance with one’ssurroundings.Inhisbook
‘The Creators(1992)’, Daniel Boorstinexplains,inhisopinion, thatWesternArchitecture isbasedon
the ideaof usinghard stone in orderto stand out from one’ssurroundings,while onthe other hand
Japanese Architecture is about the seeing the beauty in its surroundings and using it as a strength,
incorporating as much of it to form a sense of harmony and balance.
Thisuse of natural elementsismore prevalentinolderbuildings,namelyinJapaneseshrines
and ancientJapanese castles, butitcanbe seenstill beingpracticedinmore moderndesigns,though
nowadays, other, more cost effective materials are in – favour.
Figure 3: Shoji wallsbeing opened toreveal the
outside and allow wind and light through
Figure 4: The use ofwood isvery evident
in traditional Japaneseshrines.

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2.3c Courtyard House
The courtyard house was, essentially, a house with small enclosed courtyard in the centre.
This provided a space that was open to nature, in which the residents of the building could use. It
providedthe buildingwithnotonlyventilationbutlightaswellandthe abilityof beingoutside without
any of the worries and dangers of intruders. This closeness and being one with nature again, helps
enforce the idea of the importance of nature in Japanese Architecture.
Figure 5: View ofthe insidecourtyard in traditional Japanese homes.

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2.4 Effectivenessofthe ElementsinVentilationand Illumination
Whenlookingatthe aforementioneddesignelementsusedinJapaneseArchitecture,we can
see how they contribute in creating natural ventilation and illumination.
The use of Shoji wallsinpromotingnatural ventilationandilluminationworksverywell,asits
modularity allows for a much better control of the temperature inside the house and the overall
luminosityof the space. This lessens the need for the use of mechanical methodsof ventilation and
illumination.Costwise too,Shoji wallsare costeffective,beingonlymade of paperandwoodmostof
the time.
The use of the internalizedcourtyardaswell,inordertocreate a space whichcan aidin the
processof natural ventilationandilluminationhasbeenproventobe effective andisstill usedin
modern architecture.Mostnotablythe TorontoCourtyardHouse by PeterTanand Christine HoPing
Kongof StudioJunction,locatedinToronto.
Figure 6: Another example ofan opened Shoji
wall to allow light into thespace.

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Figure 7: The inside ofthe Toronto Courtyard House
Figure 8: The outside ofthe Toronto Courtyard House

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3.0 Natural Elements inthe AzumaHouse
3.1 Introduction to the Use of Natural Elementsinthe Azuma House
Now that we have a general understanding of how nature is incorporated in Japanese
Architecture, let us take a look at how Tadao Ando, develops these concepts and apply them in the
Azuma House.
Whenlookingatthe AzumaHouse,we mustunderstandthevisionandconceptofTadaoAndo
at the time when conceiving the Azuma House. Tadao Ando’s vision for the Azuma House, was to
design a building in which nature was a daily routine of the occupants of the Azuma House’s lives,
where inordertomove fromone space tothe other,theuserwouldhavetogothroughthe courtyard
in the centre. Its use of concrete and the way the Azuma House was designed was to shun the
surrounding buildings around it, making the only view in the house, a view of the sky.
EventhoughTadaoAndoclaimstorebelagainstthenorms andstandards,hedoesdraw some
inspirationfromtraditionalJapaneseArchitecture.One inparticular,isthe courtyardstyleof planning
that is widely used in traditional Japanese Architecture. There is no denying that the Azuma House
follows this style of planning with the open courtyard in the centre and how all the other spaces all
face this one openspace. Idealisticallybothmayappeardifferentatfirstglance,buttheyfill asimilar
role - a space that is meant for bringing its occupants closer to nature and used as a tool to aid the
building in both natural ventilation and lighting.
Figure 9: The courtyard located in theAzuma
House

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Another design element in which Tadao Ando has drawn inspiration from and adapted to a
more modernrendition,isthe symbolical representationof Shoji wallsthroughthe glasscurtainwall
facingintothe courtyardonall fourspacesof the AzumaHouse. Bothbeingmodularandbothserving
the purpose of allowing light and wind to pass through and to make the spaces or rooms feel larger
than they actually are.
Figure 10: GlassWall in the AzumaHouse
Figure 11: Example ofShoji Wall

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3.2 The Effectiveness of the Azuma House in Natural Ventilation and Illumination
We now know how Tadao Ando has adapted the design elements used by Japanese
Architecture inpursuitof blendingboththe builtmediumandthe natural one,however,now it’stime
to lookat howeffective the AzumaHouse is when it comes to natural ventilation and illumination.
Firstthing we will lookat wouldbe ventilation.Thismaycome as a surprise but there are no
forms of mechanical cooling and heating employedin the Azuma House. All forms of heating and
cooling are through the design of the Azuma House and through the use of material. Through the
introductionof the central courtyard,the Azumahouseusesthe stackeffectinorder toremove rising
heat. Cross ventilation cannot occur due to the way the building is situatedand the fact that Tadao
Ando does not create any forms of openings in the elevations of the Azuma House. However, this
design choice might be intentional as the of cross ventilation opens the Azuma House to its
surroundings more so than using the stack effect would and would otherwise, defeat Tadao Ando’s
concept of separating the house from its surroundings.
Throughthe incorporationofthe glasswalls,TadaoAndohascreateabigsurface ineachroom
in orderto allowlighttoenterthe spaces.However,because of the way the glasswallsare situated,
facing the internal courtyard, it is not as effective at allowing light throughout the day. Thisserves a
problemasthere noother openingsinwhichnatural lighting can occur due to Tadao Ando’s design.
All in all, Tadao Ando’s design seems to work, but due to his idea and concept of sheltering
fromone’ssurroundings,the AzumaHouseisn’taseffectiveasitcouldbe.Certaindesignchoicesthat
could’ve been made to significantly improve the overall effectiveness of the Azuma House’s natural
ventilation and illumination had to be forgone.

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4.0 How does the use of suchelements make the user feel?
Anotheraspectof myresearch,istoanalyse the enduserexperienceinwhichthese elements
provide.Inour currentage, one of the keyfactors whenitcomesto designing buildingsisthe overall
experience the end user receives. It is a main driving factor in which all architects aim to provide.
Therefore,Ifeelitisimportanttoanalyse the overall atmosphericqualitiesaswell ashow convenient
or inconvenient these design elements are.
In the contextof Japanese Architecture,the use of suchmaterialscreatesasense of harmony
between man and nature. The balance that Japanese Architecture strives to achieve creates an
environmentof peace andserenity,throughthe use of Shojiwallsandcourtyardstyleof planning.The
use of natural materialsgivesawarmatmosphere andoverall homelinesstowardsitall anditcreates
and overall positive experience to the end user.
However,whenlookingatthe AzumaHouse andhow the use of suchelementswill affectthe
user,it starts to looka little bitiffy.The ideaof providingaspace of nature that mustbe traversedin
orderto go fromone space to the other,as a meansof forcingthe userto experience nature asmuch
as possible athome,soundsgreatintheory.Howeverinpractice,thistakesawaythe sense of choice
by makingitcompulsory,andisvery inconvenient,if notmildly,tothe enduseras theyare forcedto
face the elements if they were to attempt to leave their room to go to the kitchen and get a snack.
The use of materials,aswell,thougheffectiveinkeepingtemperaturesatasteadyrate during
winters,doesnotfeel verywelcoming.Andalthoughthe use of woodforthe flooringhelpsprovide a
sense of warmth to each space, it doesn’t capture the same warmness experienced in traditional
Japanese Architecture.
Overall, when comparing the end user experience, one must understandthat Tadao Ando’s
intentions were never to create an environment that was comfortable to live in, if anything, it was
meant to be purposefully uncomfortable. And when comparing that to the minimalistic lifestyle of

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Japanese people and the concept of zen and peace,clearly there is going to be a massive difference
in overall comfortand end userexperience.Inour current day and age, in whichwe use mechanical
methodsinordertocool ourbuildingsinordertoachievecomfort,TadaoAndousesthe designof the
Azuma House in order to break from the norm and introduce a new way of inhabiting a space.

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Conclusion
Through my case study and the analysisof Japanese Architecture andthe AzumaHouse,the
design elements that were used by both parties can be used intermittently in order to create
sustainable designs. Both have effectives design choices that will remain effective for many years to
come. Whether it be the use of courtyard style of planning or the use of shoji walls (in the case of
Japanese Architecture) orglasswalls(inthe case of the AzumaHouse) in orderto decrease the need
for mechanical ventilation.The constantadaptationanddevelopmentof the oldtechniquescanonly
lead to new and interesting forms and strategies.

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References
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are-all-rage-again.html
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Retrieved24June 2016, fromhttps://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Azuma_House
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References–Images
Figure 1: https://cristinaolucha.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/azuma.jpg
Figure 2: http://www.ancient.eu/uploads/images/981.gif?v=1431036092
Figure 3: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Takamatsu-Castle-Building-
Interior-M3488.jpg
Figure 4: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Japan-2013-1658_web-
lrg.jpg
Figure 5: https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/46/59/24/46592491502b9041352329bd2420e202.jpg
Figure 6: http://www.cherrytreedesign.com/assets/img/max/shoji-tearoom-window-
treatments_max.jpg
Figure 7: http://www.houseporn.ca/media/uploads/blog/Studio_Junction_Courtyard_House_06.jpg
Figure 8: http://www.junctioneer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the-courtyard-house-2.jpg
Figure 9:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zbAB3Q264wY/TDIcqgaVBsI/AAAAAAAAAKs/3IrfKw1ussY/s1600/Azumah
ouse-courtyard.jpg
Figure 10: http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/1/34308/1856322/upstairs6_905.jpg
Figure 11: http://blog.cherrytreedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/japaneseroom.jpg

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