When people have hearing problems, the solution always seems to be something technological—hearing aids or cochlear implants or who knows what’s coming next. That’s not always what the Deaf community wants; some people live without hearing and don’t want to be modified. They prefer to modify the world around them than mess with their own bodies.
In the case of Takeshi Hosaka, the Japanese architect designed a two story house for two deaf parents and their children. The idea is that the space allows the family to communicate through sign language even when they’re not in the same room and even when the children are outside and the parents are indoors. This is done through almost a hundred little windows that hands can fit through — and that also get beautiful light. Some of the windows are skylights, so that if the children want their parents’ attention, they can drop a toy car from one level and hope they’ll notice it fall. Trees grow through the squares as well. The architect described his project in a press release, saying, in part:
the 200 mm openings become a conduit for human beings, plant, wind and light and human being communications to extend the inside and outside of the house in length and breadth in all directions
This all comes courtesy of Dezeen, which has featured Hosaka before. One time it was because he built a noodle restaurant that looked like an igloo:
He has a unique vision, that’s for sure.