“I want to be healthy.”
Everyone says that. To live healthily though, both body and mind together should be healthy. How do we achieve this? We need the space where we spend our everyday life to be rich and fulfilling for both our body and mind.

The family who are healthy in mind and body live happily together. To develop children's sensitivity and their abilities. These are the aims of the Ken-no House H3 (Happy Heart House).

　A Ken-no House H3 could be likened to a “Brain-Training House”.

　Generally, people design houses by arranging rooms like pieces of a puzzle to fit together (a room arrangement plan). When the puzzle is complete heights are added and a three dimensional house is ready. No wonder it looks like a box.

　Humans, especially children should not live in a box. By living in a box, our body weakens, and without realising it our mind loses its flexibility. Even children whose minds posess natural creativity and have not yet been controlled by stereotypical thinking lose their flexibility.

　Ken-no House H3 is a design using high-level planning techniques to weave the spaces together. Simply, [a room arrangement plan] is the first step in a two dimensional plan, but in a Ken-no House H3, three dimensional planning is required for the first steps of the design. So, this kind of house, through the five senses, stimulates the sensitivity of the family and thus activates the right brain. When the brain is healthy, it affects the immunity of the body positively reducing the risk of illness. A house that contains enriching space will enrich our mind.

　It is not only function and convenience on which you need to focus to make a house, but you, yourself are a key component in making a fun place to live.

　In our super stressful society, our environment is unable to heal our wounded minds. Everyday, mothers and fathers are worn down. As a result, the environment is lacking to develop children's sensitivity and abilities. Unhealthy home environments have become a serious social problem.

　Mothers and fathers who are healthy in body and mind bring up healthy children. When children are well, parents feel happy and get energy.

　The most important place for us is then not a special place but the place we spend our everyday. An everyday house's role is to give energy to the family living there.

　Energy efficiency / High heat insulation, natural materials and ensuring adequate earthquake proof measures should still be taken seriously. But, you won't add value to your home with functionality and convenience. Let's focus on people not things.

• Understand how a brain works.

　We have always received information and stimulation from the environment around us through our senses. We may have only recognised one part of all the information being received, but our brain has reacted to everything. Unconsciously, we are influenced greatly by our environment .

• Understand the affect the environment has on your mind and your brain. In addition understand that、on the one hand, the house may provide a serene environment、but it may also be a silent weapon.

　Is the influence you and your children are receiving from your living environment positive or negative. The difference in everyday life may not be much but over years can become immeasurable.

• Consider the dreams and wishes of the family in planning.

　Simply arranging the rooms and choosing interior materials is not designing. Design is combining the dreams and wishes of the family into a shape. Participation of the family in this is essential. Spending time together to understand each other and to build a mutual trust is important. Using a technically advanced builder with an excellent network of high-level craftsmen is also important.

　In 2006 in Tokyo, the Japanese Architectural Medical Association confirmed that the number of people interested in the impact of the housing environment on our health has increased.

　Instead of waiting for technical data showing the affect of space on the brain, if you start by questioning what is actually good for you and your children you will find the answer.

　Housing is living. Thinking about your house is thinking about your life with your family.

　We must rely on our home more.

　Each family is different. The houses should be as different as the number of families. Thinking about the shape of your own original house and actualising it, that is Ken-no House H3'srole.