Quake-proof high ceiling house: A 290m2 steel structure home with beautiful garden

Will Sayner Will Sayner
節能環保綠建築, 台日國際住宅股份有限公司 台日國際住宅股份有限公司 Asian style houses
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 Today we’re taking a look at a particularly special property brought to us by architects, Taiwan International Housing Company Limited. This expansive modern home boasts a vast two hundred and ninety square metre area, spacious rooms, high ceilings and a garden, but what makes it so special is its construction materials and steel frame structure that make it resistant to earthquakes. Of course no building can be entirely earthquake proof, but the steel frame makes the structure more resistant to damage from both earthquakes and fire. Let’s take a look…

​An imposing façade

 The towering structure features quite an imposing façade, and it has clearly been designed with privacy in mind. The property’s front is shielded from view by hedges and fencing that line the grounds with a gate at the entrance. However, despite its fortress-like qualities, the structures intersecting shapes and attractive pitched roof give it an undeniable charm. 

​The home’s special structure

 In 1995 the Great Hanshin earthquake in Japan tragically resulted in the deaths of an estimated 6,400 people, left 40,000 injured and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. In response, the Japanese government assembled six steel companies and tasked them with developing a light steel structure that could withstand an earthquake, and in 2000, Nippon Steel were successful in developing this new construction method. Japan now shares this technology with Taiwan, in a joint effort between their construction industries.

​The spacious modern kitchen

 The kitchen’s modern design mixes bright white walls and counters with the very dark tones of the floor, cabinetry and windows for an impactful, high contrast effect that also makes for a very clean, bright space in which to cook. The U-shaped layout provides plenty of work space, as well as an attractive little breakfast bar for a quick meal on the go. Overhead, an entire wall of cabinets ensures plenty of storage space too; all in all, a highly practical family kitchen.

​The living room

 A large, L-shaped sofa along with a complimenting chair ensures that there’s plenty of space to relax in the cosy living room. The décor is almost exclusively made up of earth tone colours with dark wooden flooring, stone-grey seating and dark drapes giving the room a very natural feel. The enormous window behind the sofa is perhaps the room’s most endearing feature; flooding the space with natural light.

​Plenty of space to enjoy the outdoors

 Outside there’s an attractive garden, with an expansive wooden patio providing a great spot for a barbeque. There’s a nice focal feature in the form of a small pond encircled by boulders, perhaps taking influence for tradition Japanese gardens in which rocks and their placement can be as important a feature as the plants themselves. Take a look at these gorgeous Japanese gardens and see for yourself.

What are your thoughts on this disaster resistant residence? Let us know in the comments below!

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