James Nachtwey

Let the photos speak of greatness…

“I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.” – James Nachtwey

 

Lift by Apollo Architects & Associates

Photograph by Masao Nishikawa.

 

The house is in Sendai Japan, i am not sure if it still exists after the tsunami that struck the country yesterday.Watch the news, you might see it floating on water.

What attracted me in this design is the boldness of the architecture in both form and color.  It stands as a huge volume on top of a rather shy lot. You can distinguish the design immediately from the so-called traditional norms of designing houses. It looks like an isolation box, the kind u imagine a prisoner living in.

The upper floor attacks protrudes towards the street. You get a hint of the interior from the slanted plane, but that’s the only thing you are allowed to see. The sides are all black offering very small openings. The architect created a courtyard inside the building to give a private outdoor space for the family, and at the same time allow light to go in without hindering the privacy of the household. It is black, it is un-welcoming and you are not allowed to take a peak on what is going on inside.

The interior,however, contrasts with the exterior. It is all white and bright, there is a transparency between the different spaces that does not show from the outside. This black box is a surprise box for a first time visitor who might be, at first, hesitant about entering into this dark volume but once he does the experience will be a total opposite.

In the End, our hearts go to all the people in Japan, hope you will come out of this experience stronger.

Photograph by Masao Nishikawa.

 

 

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