When Takanobu Kishimoto visited a potential site for a home in Takasago City (Hyogo, Japan) he was struck by one memorable artifact: an old train car. Naturally, the architect inquired with his client about it and found out that it’s been sitting there for years. It was even once used as a community center and, even today, is fondly remembered by many old-timers.
Despite original plans to remove it and build on the site in its entirety, Kishimoto decided to propose a plan that incorporated the train car into his client’s new home.
The recently completed “Plathome” (a pun that works better in Japanese) features a platform-shaped home that’s built adjacent to the train car. It looks lifelike enough that the train could begin pulling out of the station at any moment.
The train itself primarily serves to fulfill one of the client’s wishes: to have a large space for firewood storage for their fireplace. However, the family can also expand into the train’s quarters on a need-to basis.
