该住宅坐落于一个小山坡上，俯瞰着城市。东西两条有着16米高差的道路限定出这个独具特色的项目基地——从东到西地势逐渐降低。建筑师将地势较高的一侧作为住宅的正面，出于对安全的考虑在此设置一道挡土墙，种满了树木的山坡顺着这道挡土墙继续向下蔓延，一直到西侧的道路为止。出于相同的考虑，建筑师在此处设置了另一道挡土墙。
The site is located on the hillside of a small mountain overlooking the city. It is bound by two roads on the east and west side with a level difference of 16m between the two sides. In this ar-ea, from the east which is the higher part of the mountain to the west, are a retaining wall and a front road, followed by a slope covered with trees, another retaining wall and a road at the foot of it.
▼住宅外观远景，位于树木茂密的山坡之上，distant exterior view of the house that is located on the hillside of a small mountain covered with trees
在实地调研的过程中，建筑师发现这座山坡上的住宅通常有两种设计和建造方式。一是通过使用人造土壤将基地填平，再在其上建造一座典型的平地住宅；另一种则是充分利用斜坡，通过嵌入式的地下空间来建造房屋。这两种处理山地住宅的方法都是可取的，但建筑师希望能够在本项目中展现一种生活方式，让住户更加接近山地和场地上的自然环境。
When observing the houses built on this mountain, I noticed that there were generally two types of building methods. One was to provide artificial soil and build a typical house on top of it, and the other was to build a basement level by digging the slope. Both are convincing methods to deal with the slope, but I wanted to propose a way of living where one can feel closer to the slope and the trees that grow in the area.
▼住宅外观近景，close exterior view of the house
在这个想法的引导下，参考日本偶人架阶梯状的剖面形式，建筑师决定设计一个具有分层基础的住宅，这样各层空间就能够最大程度地顺应倾斜的地势；同时，埋设相对较浅的建筑基础也能够避免干扰地下水的流动。
建筑基础分为三层，沿着坡地的表面从东向西依次下降80厘米。住宅的二层在功能上涵盖着一系列功能空间如卫生间等，形体上在东西两侧各向外挑出1.8米，而悬挑下方的区域则作为过渡空间将室内外环境联系在了一起。
▼住宅剖透视图，建筑基础分为三层，perspective section of the house whose tiered foundation is composed of three steps
For this reason, I decided to design the “House on a Tiered Foundation” which has a sectional form of a tiered doll stand for Hina dolls that follows the sloped surface and a foundation shallow enough so as not to disturb the flow of the subsoil water.
This tiered foundation is composed of three steps that step down 80cm each following the sur-face of the slope from east to west. The second floor which has much of its functions including bathrooms projects out 1.8m each on both the east and west side and functions as an intermediate space that ties the indoor and outdoor together.
▼住宅外观近景，住宅的二层在形体上在东西两侧各向外挑出1.8米，close exterior view of the house, the second floor projects out 1.8m each on both the east and west sides
▼住宅外观局部，悬挑下方的区域作为过渡空间将室内外环境联系在了一起，partial exterior view of the house, the area under the overhang functions as an intermediate space that ties the indoor and outdoor together
最高的建筑基础位于基地的东侧，这部分空间不仅在住宅与道路之间创建了一个缓冲带，也是住宅的入口门廊和车道空间。此外，这部分基础还向建筑内部延伸了90厘米。室内的这部分基础演化成了一个与道路平面同高的厨房台面、一个儿童书桌和通向住宅二层的楼梯的休息平台。通过这一设计处理，建筑师希望创造出一种恰到好处的视线交流，即住户既可以看到室外街道上的景象，又不会与行人发生不必要的视线接触。
▼住宅入口，位于东侧最高的建筑基础平台上，the entrance of the house that is located at the highest step on the east side
▼从住宅的过渡空间看向室内，建筑基础平台向建筑内部延伸，viewing the interior space from the intermediate space, the step is extended inward towards the house
The highest step on the east side acts as a buffer space between the house and the road, and also becomes an entrance porch and a porte cochere. In addition, this step is extended 90cm inward towards the house to provide a kitchen counter at the same level as the road, study desk for children and a landing for the stairs leading up to the second floor. By offering this step and direction for living, I wanted to create an apt relationship where glances from neighbors walking on the front road will not be confronted nor shut out.
▼一层空间室内，道路平台在室内演化成了一个与道路平面同高的厨房台面和楼梯休息平台，interior view of the first floor, the step extended inward provides a kitchen counter at the same level as the road and a landing for the stairs
▼一层空间室内局部，partial interior view of the first floor
一层空间的东西立面采用玻璃和木框架。东侧木框架的尺寸是3.6×2.2米，西侧木框架的尺寸是5.4×3.0米，在木框架中嵌入可移动的玻璃，在视觉和实体上将一层空间与过渡空间联系在了一起。
Facing the intermediate space, wooden fittings that can be drawn into the walls were installed. On the east side is a 3.6m by 2.2m opening and on the west side is a 5.4m by 3.0m opening.
▼一层空间室内，采用木框架立面，interior view of the first floor with wooden fittings
而西侧的建筑基础则是一个生活露台，视觉上的悬挑效果给人一种直插入树林的错觉。置身于此，人们可以享受宜人的阳光和穿过树林的微风。
The step on the west side acts as a terrace that cantilevers out as if to dive into the trees, creat-ing a place where one can feel pleasant sunlight and breeze coming through the trees.
▼西侧看似悬挑的生活露台，the step on the west side acts as a terrace that cantilevers out
在这个住宅项目中，室内空间、过渡空间、阶梯状的平台（建筑基础）、坡地和场地上的树木等通过台阶、底层架空柱和木制构件被整合成为一个整体。可以说，这里已经不再仅仅是一个住宅空间了，它更是一个自然地形，居住于此的人们将会享受到居住在大自然中般的快感。
The “House on a Tiered Foundation” where the interior, intermediate space, tiered steps, slope and trees are combined as a whole by steps, pilotis and wooden fittings, becomes a topography rather than a residence, and the residents will live in this terrain.
▼通向二层的楼梯，the stairs leading up to the second floor
▼二层空间局部，采用木地板和木构件，partial interior view of the second floor with wooden floor and components
▼二层卧室空间，the bedroom on the second floor
▼住宅夜景，night view of the house
▼一层平面图，1F plan
Project name: Three-tiered Platforms
Architecture Firm: ihrmk / Masaki + Kayo IHARA
Completion Year: 2017
Gross Built Area: 115.10sqm
Project location: Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Lead Architects: Masaki + Kayo IHARA
Engineering: Hirotoshi KOMATSU (structural engineer)
Photo credits: Kenya Chiba
