YNAS Reconnects Japanese Home with Outdoors Using Timber Canopies in Miyakonojo Renovation

Local architecture studio YNAS has completed the renovation and extension of a traditional timber home in Miyakonojo, southern Japan, transforming its interiors and strengthening its relationship with the surrounding landscape. The project, named House in Miyakonojo, incorporates corrugated-metal canopies and strategic spatial reconfigurations to open up the dwelling for a couple returning to the wife's ancestral home.

Project Background and Design Philosophy

Originally built in 1978, the single-storey timber house was structurally sound but suffered from a restrictive internal layout and underutilized exterior spaces, leading to a sense of disconnection from its environment and community. YNAS addressed these issues by aiming to dissolve the home's boundaries. Studio founder and principal architect Yuko Numata emphasized a "paradoxical approach" to privacy, stating that instead of creating physical borders, the design demonstrates openness. This allows neighbors to observe "signs of life" such as outdoor cooking or smoke from the wood-fired bath, re-integrating the house into the landscape.

Key facts

• Feature: Detail
• Location: Miyakonojo, Japan
• Architect: YNAS
• Project Type: Residential renovation and extension
• Key Elements: Timber-framed canopies, corrugated metal, internal re-planning

Architectural Interventions

The renovation involved the removal of internal walls and hedges to create more fluid spaces. YNAS deepened the existing *engawa* (verandahs) with new steel and timber canopies, which extend the home's shallow eaves to provide essential shade. These expanded perimeter spaces become an extension of the interiors, fostering a stronger indoor-outdoor connection. An outdoor kitchen with views of the mountainous skyline was also introduced.

Internal Reconfiguration and Material Choices

The original home's layout featured rooms partitioned by sliding screens along a dark, L-shaped corridor. YNAS eliminated this corridor and partition walls, creating a unified living, dining, and kitchen area. Zones are subtly defined by the structure's original timber columns and varied floor finishes. Numata explained that the design redefined "ambiguous boundaries" through floor materials: continuous mortar *doma* floors connect the kitchen, dining, and eave spaces, while the living room and father's room feature *tatami* mats made from Kyushu *igusa* rush, connecting residents to the land.

Sustainable and Traditional Features

Traditional elements were reintroduced, including a *kamado* (wood-fired stove) in the outdoor kitchen, an *irori* (sunken hearth) in the indoor kitchen, and a steel wood-fired bath. Firewood for these features is stored within a low gabion wall made from local rubble, which replaced a previous hedge at the front of the home. Sustainability was also a key aspect, with the addition of solar panels on the roof and a rainwater harvesting system to make the home more "self-sustaining." A new timber-framed storage area, clad in corrugated polycarbonate sheets, features another steel and timber canopy sheltering a parking and outdoor workshop space.

This project offers an example of how traditional Japanese architectural concepts can be reinterpreted to meet contemporary living needs while enhancing a dwelling's connection to its environment and community. The use of timber canopies and careful material selection demonstrates a thoughtful approach to extending living spaces and integrating sustainable practices within a historic context.

Source: Dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/2026/05/19/ynas-house-in-miyakonojo-japan/