The Koshino House in Ashiya, Japan was designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando in 1980-1984. The house consists of two parallel cubic volumes connected by an underground tunnel. Concrete was the primary material used to create the smooth, corrugated surfaces of walls, floors and ceilings. Large windows bring an abundance of natural light into the precisely organized interior spaces. Designed around a modular system based on traditional tatami mats, the Koshino House exemplifies Ando's signature brutalist style that blends Japanese minimalism with modernist architecture.

1. KOSHINO HOUSE
小 篠 邸
A S H I Y A , H Y O G O , J A P A N
b y T A D A O A N D O

2. “I don’t believe architecture has to speak too much.
It should remain silent and let nature in the
guise of sunlight and wind.”
-TADAO ANDO-

3. TADAO ANDO
安藤忠雄 Borned on 13th Sept 1941,
Osaka, Japan.
A self-taught architect.
Also a university professor,
truck driver, professional boxer &
local carpenter.
Established his own design studio,
TADAO ANDO ARCHITECTS
AND ASSOCIATES
(安藤忠雄建築研究所), in 1969.
Winner of many prestigious
architectural awards.

4. ARCHI-
TECT
OF
LIGHT
Trap & hold light as a tangible substance

5. Church of the Light
Ibaraki, Japan

6. Smooth-as-silk concrete
Texture building with concrete formwork
Firm, tranquil & mysterious structures
M A T E R I A L I T Y

7. Azuma House a.k.a. Row House in Sumiyoshi
Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan.

8. I N S
PIRA
TION
• Concentrate on the concept of simplicity
and focus on the inner feelings rather than
appearance.
• Most buildings constructed with concrete,
give a sense of cleanliness and
nothingness.
• Japanese sense of materiality,
junction and spatial narrative
through the pared aesthetics of
international modernism.
• Although he rejects the cultural
fads, but he incorporate the
materialism of modern society into
his architecture.
Inspired by Japanese
culture and its
relationship with
nature.
ZEN PHILOSOPHIES 禅
JAPANESE CULTURE
MODERN REGIONALISM

9. PHILOSOPHY
Simple geometrical shapes show richness in
spatial articulation. It shared the tranquillity
and accuracy that characterize the
traditional Japanese architecture.
►
Harmony and close
contact to the nature.
Believes in making vast
connections between
interior and exterior
architecture
His creativity in
using the
natural light
and following
the natural
forms were
projected in his
works.
His works are mostly characterized by
complex 3D circulation paths which those
paths are weaved between the interior
and exterior spaces formed large scale
geometrical shapes and spaces between
them.
Ando used unfinished
reinforced concrete
structures which was
newly developed
architecture.

10. Nothingness & empty space
Clean lines and sheer simplicity
Simple geometric forms
Arrange masses and voids
Firm, tranquil & mysterious structures
Smooth-as-silk concrete
Create spaces using walls
Complex & rich spaces
Texture building with concrete formwork
Phenomenal articulation of spaces
Perfect proportion
Trap & hold light as a tangible substance
ARCHITECTURAL
STYLE
Complex 3D circulation paths weaving between interior & exterior spaces
TADAO ANDO

11. KOSHINO HOUSET A D A O A N D O
小篠邸

12. Client:
Hiroko Koshin
Location:
Rokko Mountain, Ashiya City,
East of Kobe, Japan
First Phase:
Two Parallel Cuboic
（1980-1981）
Second Phase:
Studio extension added
（1983-1984）
I N T R O

13. North Building
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

14. North Building
 2 Storey
 Double Height
Living Room
 Kitchen /
Dining Room
 Master
Bedroom
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

15. South Buillding
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

16.  Multiple similar size bedrooms
 Bathroom
 Lobby
South Building
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

17. Tatami Room
South Building
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

18. Connection tunnel
between two volumes
found underneath the
exterior stairs in the
courtyard.
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

19. SPATIAL ORGANIZATION
Atelier

20. SPATIAL ORGANIZATIONAtelier
Studio
Studio Bathroom

21. M A T E R I A L
The hallmark material of Tadao Ando. At
Koshino House he used concrete slabs with
corrugated surfaces, where the holes from
the formwork anchors are still visible. The
wave-like structure gives the material a
three-dimensional effect, especially when
awash with daylight.
The dimensions of the slabs were specified to
match those of a tatami mat - a traditional
Japanese sleeping mat. These are made of
rice straw and are the perfect size for a
sleeping person. They are often used in
Japanese architecture as a type of Modulor,
or scale of proportions, and Ando is also
clearly influenced by this idea. Indeed, not
only the concrete slabs, but the entire basic
grid of the house takes design cues from
these iconic mats.
Concrete

22. Widely used to make large glass windows
throughout the house. The reason for
using this material is giving way to large
quantities of light and offer a view of the
garden.
Glass
M A T E R I A L

23. D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S
Brutalism

24. Asymmetry
Non-separated
Alignment
D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S

25. Circulation
D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S

26. Unit to Harmony
D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S

27. Repetition
D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S

28. Blending
D E S I G N
P R I N C I P L E S

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