3.1.2HOUSEINKYOTO

The House in Kyoto, designed by architect Joe Chikamori of 07Beach, is lauded for its use of biophilic design mainly due to its focus on the Ficus tree that is positioned to grow in the living room of the dwelling. This home in Kyoto, Japan, rectifies the problem of a compact site and little outdoor space by the development of an interior courtyard in the living room space with a central Ficus tree that brings nature indoors for the family to benefit from. This Ficus tree allows for a lot more daylight in the central space through the use of a skylight, as it is required for the tree to grow. Additionally, the design of this house includes ample use of natural Hinoki wood, which is soft to the touch and also has good insulation properties. 99 Biophilic design is evident through the attention paid to daylighting and the tree that is placed in the interior courtyard of the home. These, along with the use of wood material throughout the home, work to create a connection back to nature that aligns with the principles of biophilic design.