↑↑ the partition between the living room and kitchen, which includes a gap for sliding doors, is about half way completed now. The wall will be finished with Japanese Oak veneer on both sides and the sliding doors will be finished with the same, so it will look very nice when done. Here Koen is explaining the construction details for the wall to the master carpenter, who is brilliant but tends to transpose our plans towards the conventional details he is familar with. We always try to simplify detailing and maintain a minimalist feel, but the Japanese standard tends towards an “additive” approach (well, it seems like it from our perspective anyway) that leads to complicated details and layers of construction. We are careful to go over details that aren’t familiar to carpenters at the beginning of the project but the discussions don’t always stick, so today we were busy confirming and reminding the carpenters of our earlier discussions. Today had a few surprises but everything seems to be sorted now.

台所と居間の間仕切の仕事が始まりました。この壁は、スライディングドアが通るすき間はあります。間仕切と扉の仕上は、両方ともナラのベニアーで、なかなかきれいな物になります。上の写真には、クンさんが壁の細かい所の作り方を大工さんと話ししています。私達の考え方としては、基本的にシンプルな、「ミニマリスト」なようなデイテールをいつも使いたいのですが、仕事をする前に大工さんと現場担当者と話ししないと色々な問題がでてきます。

↑↑ frame for the doors to the storage space under the stairs. the frame is made to extend from the wall the exact thickness of the plastic sheet – it will be covered by washi and entirely invisible when finished, but makes a firm base for the doors to hang from.

階段下の物置の扉枠。この枠はちょうどポリ版の厚さに壁から差出します　－　最後に枠とポリ版が同時に和紙で巻いて仕上するのですが、基本的に見えないなデイテルになります。しかしこの事は早めに考えないと自然に普通な重い枠になります。今回の大工さんが、ほとんど全部の考えを分かっている事になっていますからすごく良い仕事になりますね。。。

↑↑ the first round of built-in furniture was delivered and will be installed over the next few days. In the case of the furniture above, the fireproofing layer of hardened plaster board mandated by fire-related building code needs to be put in first and then the furniture guys will go to town. It looked quite good in pieces so we are expecting some beautiful work once installed.

ビルトインの家具が今日届きまして、今日明日に設置します。全部がインストールするまで分からないですけど、最初の見た目として結構良い物が出来たようです。。。

↑↑ the shoe-box/closet (getta-bakko in japanese) also arrived and is roughly set up. all of the wires for the home will fit into the blocked out box over the hanger pipe. As usual the furniture guys did beautiful work. It always amazes me how precise the work is.

ゲタ箱の家具。ハンガーバーの上にある箱は、 ヒューズ箱になります。

↑↑ meanwhile the carpenter is also doing some of the furniture work on site. curtain box above is perfect, and the window desk is looking quite ok. The gap around the windows is filled with mortar now and after it dries will be sprayed with an insulating foam and the wall closed up. The flooring is finished in this room as well, so is actually one of the rooms closest to being completed.

寝室が大分進んでいます。カテンボックスがきれいに出来て、窓の前にくる机もほとんど出来ています。最後には、サッシュ廻りのモルタルの上、断熱材を入れて壁を閉める事は、もうすぐ出来ます。

↑↑ and finally the view from the deck with window and glass installed.

最後は、デッキからリビング・ダイニングの硝子入りの窓を望みます。