Touch the Hatch
Date: October 2023 Location: Fukuoka, Japan Total Floor Area: 5,400m2 Function: Housing complex Status: Competition - 2nd place
Touch the Hatch was an invited competition proposal for a new housing complex in Fukuoka, commissioned by Fukuoka Jisho Ltd. In many Japanese apartment buildings, façades are defined by the repetition of standardised balconies, largely shaped by regulatory constraints. This condition often limits architectural identity. Rather than resisting it, the project adopts the balcony as the primary architectural element. The design focuses on the handrail, developing twelve variations that give each floor a distinct character while contributing to a cohesive overall composition. Through this approach, the façade becomes both legible and differentiated. At the same time, the balcony is reimagined as an extension of everyday living. It is conceived not merely as a functional appendage, but as an inhabitable space that expands the interior outward. The proposal was awarded second place.
The competition called for a new residential block in central Fukuoka, requiring proposals to address façade, interiors, and shared spaces within a fixed structural framework and a constrained budget. The design began with a simple observation: many Japanese housing blocks appear monotonous due to strict fire regulations. Continuous balconies span the façade, functioning primarily as escape routes rather than places to inhabit. Instead of opposing this condition, the project embraces it, transforming the balcony into the defining architectural element. Attention was directed to the smallest component: the handrail. Typically treated as a neutral safety feature, it is here given architectural presence. Twelve handrail variations were developed, assigning each floor a distinct identity while maintaining an overall coherence. The façade is thus read as a vertical sequence of differentiated layers, where repetition and variation coexist. Balconies were reconsidered not only visually but spatially. By slightly lowering the slab level, each unit gains a threshold zone that mediates between interior and exterior. This adjustment allows the balcony to function as an inhabitable extension of the home — a place to sit, cultivate plants, or gather. The apartment layout is reorganised around this space, turning what is often residual into an integral part of daily life. Three unit types were proposed to accommodate different ways of living. A compact unit supports quieter routines of reading and film. Another integrates planting with working from home, blurring the boundary between inside and outside. A larger unit centres on cooking and social gatherings, with a generous dining area and flexible rooms. Sliding partitions and staggered walls introduce adaptability and spatial openness. Despite the fixed structural grid, the combination of varied balcony expressions and internal layouts ensures each dwelling remains distinct. The proposal also introduces Furnished Room, a curated rental system for furniture and planting. Residents can move in with pre-selected, high-quality elements that align with the architecture, reducing waste while promoting longer use of materials. Through these strategies, Touch the Hatch demonstrates how architectural identity can emerge from the smallest element. The project proposes a housing block where balconies are not merely functional appendages, but the setting for everyday life, distinct from the city, yet closely tied to those who inhabit it.
