Takamine-cho House is a concrete and stone residence in Nagoya, Japan, designed by Tomoaki Uno Architects in 2021.

Description
The site is located in an upscale residential area with lush greenery, with Nagoya University and Nanzan University walking distance. I had designed a clinic for the client before, and this was my second commission. Therefore, I started the concrete design immediately without any time to warm up the relationship. This project’s most significant request, or mission, was to use the traditional method of masonry called field masonry. In the beginning, I thought of it only as a finishing material. However, as I learned more about the traditional masonry method and its use, I gradually realized that I had not been thinking correctly, and I was at a loss for a while. Originally, Japanese masonry was used for the foundations of castles, castle foundations, and stone walls. It was never meant to be a part of the architecture. The purpose and origins of the ruins were utterly different from those in South America. Therefore, there were no past examples to refer to. In addition, Japanese masonry has warped gradually as it was built up. This is probably the most rational way of stacking masonry for its intended use in the long history of Japan. I felt pretty uneasy and uncomfortable about using this traditional Japanese masonry as part of a building with a different purpose. I couldn’t get rid of the awkward feeling that I w...