The overlapping gable roofs gently embrace everyday life.

Abukuma Care Facility is a welfare facility that accommodates 50 residents with intellectual disabilities who were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The previous facility, located in Kawauchi Village, was damaged in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster. After enduring a difficult evacuation period, temporary emergency buildings were constructed in this area with the generous support of Tamura City and its residents.

The top priority was to quickly create a safe and secure environment for both the residents and staff who had been physically and emotionally exhausted. At the same time, emphasis was placed on designing a calm, comfortable living space filled with the warmth of wood, and offering a variety of spaces that support a natural rhythm to daily life.

The facility features a large, single-story wooden structure that integrates both structural and finishing elements using commonly available timber construction methods. Locally sourced Tamura cedar was used for the interior wall finishes, creating a warm and inviting wooden atmosphere.

A deliberate separation between the living areas and the work/training spaces introduces variety and structure to daily routines. Additionally, gardens with diverse characteristics surround the building, helping to enrich the living environment by seamlessly connecting indoor and outdoor spaces.

The spatial layout connects private rooms to shared areas in a gradual, layered manner through a system called the “Connecting Hall System.” This approach allows each resident to select living spaces that suit their individual activity patterns and preferences. The facility houses 50 residents—30 men and 20 women—organized into five separate units of 10 people each. These units are linked to spacious living rooms and a shared dining area, fostering a social environment enhanced by work training rooms and administrative spaces.

Each unit is positioned adjacent to a large living room. Sliding doors can be opened to create multi-bed rooms, which facilitate both supervision and communication. Toward the rear of each unit, private rooms offer more seclusion and prioritize individual privacy. By staggering the arrangement of these private rooms, cozy living corners are created within the units, allowing residents to decompress while still remaining subtly connected to others.

The overlapping gable roofs, echoing the surrounding mountain landscape, allow soft natural light and breezes to enter through their intersecting spaces. At the center of each unit, surrounded by private rooms, a high-set window reinterprets the traditional Fukushima roof as a passive environmental feature. It enables gravity-based ventilation through the coordinated opening and closing of windows in the shared areas.

The exterior walls are finished with spray-applied plaster tiles that resemble traditional earthen walls, emphasizing a distinctly Japanese texture that blends harmoniously with the surrounding environment. The village-like silhouette created by the layered gable roofs—well-suited to the climate and terrain of Tamura City—is envisioned to become part of the area’s new rural landscape.