Cloud Watching in the Mountains
The husband, who delights in entertaining friends, spends his time on the lower floors, where he can enjoy the poetic greenery with his friends; the wife, a yoga instructor, often spends her time on the upper floors, stretching or studying Buddhism; while the daughter, who thrives on music, also spends her time on the upper floors.
Kouichi Kimura therefore made it a goal to not create an open space that fully takes uniform light but produce depth and width with lighting and visual effect. The hanging wall and wing wall are provided to the single living-dining-and-kitchen room, segmenting the space, and creating an expressive sequence which evokes more spaces ahead. These walls function as structural components as well as the elements that produce visual effects. Provided with minimum interior and colored with light and shadow, the house will give affluence and depth to its space, slowly marking the passage of time from now on.
The family's living quarters are on the first floor, where the spacious layout welcomes visitors with open arms. The veranda that connects the living room and study takes advantage of the vegetation both inside and outside the courtyard to put it in close proximity to nature. The husband regularly works in the study, where he can stand up when he gets tired and take in the view to help him relax and regain his focus. The first floor's outdoor area features tiled flooring and greenery, making it feasible to have gatherings for family and friends as well as for the mistress to practice yoga while listening to the sounds of nature.
On the upper floors are private sleeping areas, and the master bedroom on the second floor is designed with a folding door in the stairway, separating the vertical movement from the room and reducing interference from the floor below. A single chair and a floor-to-ceiling window reveal the poetic mood of life in this small, narrow space. Upward is the daughter's space, and the special height of the piano room area is also used to create interesting staggered floors and lines. The piano room is also used as a music teaching area, and the ceiling is made of wood wool cement board, which has the effect of sound absorption and heat insulation. A few steps down to the side is the airy bookcase in the ceiling. Nature, music, faith, life and friendships, the mountain life in Xindian is spectacularly refined and tranquil.
山裡
看雲
居於層層山巒之間，陽光明媚時藍天白雲清爽動人，雨後有山嵐匍伏而來，四季的訊息在枝梢間傳遞，一家人從城市移居山中，接納遠離市區的不便，收穫自然的慰藉。屋主夫妻一動一靜，藉由不同樓層經營各自喜好，喜歡招待朋友的男主人活動區塊在低樓層，與三五好友有詩意綠景相伴；女主人為瑜伽教練，常常在高樓層專注伸展，或潛心研佛，而擅長音樂的女兒也集中在高樓層活動，每一位家庭成員都在這個家屋中安心擁有屬於自己的空間。
獨棟複層中有更多樓層變化的可能，呼應著山勢的層疊錯落，增加各樓層間的空間豐富度，並把握每一道窗的景致，增加內外更多的連結與互動。地下室的空間配置以機能導向，如車庫、玄關鞋櫃、酒窖等，還有一間視聽室，位於此地下能避免受光線干擾，與好友歡唱或享受音樂時也不影響上方樓層的活動。
一樓為家庭的生活空間，開闊的空間像是敞開雙臂歡迎客人，多面大窗框出湛藍碧翠絕景，連結客廳書房的廊道享有院落內外的綠景夾道相迎，與自然緊密接觸。書房是男主人平日工作區域，偶爾疲倦時能起身遠眺，養足精神又可以重新專注。一樓的室外空間有鋪設地板與景觀營造，不僅能辦活動招待親友，女主人也能享受沈浸於自然聲響中的瑜伽訓練。
樓層往上為私領域的寢臥區，二樓的主臥室特別設計在梯廳了一道摺門，隔開垂直動線與房間，減少受到下方樓層的干擾。拉上摺門的空間形成主臥室與更衣間的通道，一張單椅、一道落地窗在這個狹長的小空間便展現了生活的詩意情調。往上即是女兒的空間，也利用琴房區域特殊的空間高度，變化出趣味的錯落樓層與動線，仰式或俯視都能捕捉到挑空結構的美感。琴房也作為音樂授課區，天花板運用木絲水泥板，具有吸音、隔熱的效果。沿著旋轉梯登上閣樓，畸零區塊用來作為靜心的信仰空間，側邊往下走幾階便是挑空區的空中書櫃。自然、音樂、信仰、生活、交友，位於新店的山居生活，很精彩，也很恬淡。
