The Townhouse Plan
The scarcity of space in Japan has led to interesting variations of the typical house plan. The machiya, or "townhouses," of Kyoto, for example, are distinguished by their long, narrow plan. Even in compact areas like these, where houses are only a few inches apart, the harmony between interior and exterior is preserved, and the garden plays a central role. The room closest to the main street is often used for business purposes—goods are Hayed and orders taken—so that this area becomes a part of the street, or, conversely, the street becomes a part of the house.
The most private room of a machiya usually faces a garden. An 3 pen corridor connects the main house to a wing where often the first generation lives separately from, but still near, the second generation. In this way, unity and spaciousness are preserved even in the smallest of spaces, and the needs of people, who are, after all, the focal point of every house, comfortably provided for.
The townhouses (machiya) of Kyoto make maximum use of a limited area. (Plan for three houses.)
Intermediate Space Components
As previously mentioned, the intermediate space can be seen as an important extension of the house, and as an extension of the garden. The three chapters that follow will talk about three major elements found in this intermediate zone: the formal entranceway, the veranda, and screening devices. The entranceway is where shoes are removed, symbolizing the transition from the exterior to the interior. The veranda is a multi-purpose area where one can relax or entertain visitors informal-Screening devices help to unite man and nature by providing ways of allowing the inhabitants of a house to see or hear nature with little difficulty, while still protecting them from the elements.
Exterior of machiya.
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