An almost impossible site for a house seems to defy all urban limitations. House K is the result of an ingenious approach to a site surrounded by a dense urban fabric on three sides and also bordered by a grove of trees. A crescent-shaped volume, serving as a family home, seems to grow out of the ground like a rock while transforming the entire roof surface into a generous terrace area. Continue reading →

Located in an old part of Osaka, Japan, surrounded by traditional Japanese houses, this contemporary home aims to a different direction without disturbing the established urban order. A single story volume of 145sqm displays a distinct horizontal flow composed by a low plane roof and long vertical supporting walls. A covered parking area that precedes the entrance area of Y Residence marks the start of this unique house. Continue reading →

In Japan there’s a wonderful example that proves how nature can be a precious ally to solve an architectonic challenge like IK House. This compact two-story home was conceived taking an ancient tree as its starting point. An L-shaped plan with a total floor area of 104sqm seems to embrace this surviving fragment of nature as a sign of respect and worship. Continue reading →

A Japanese house extension was built for a family who wants to keep two generations close by. In Shizuoka, Japan there’s a small two-story building with a total floor area of 82sqm that fulfills these special requirements: a house for sheltering the sleeping and study areas of a young couple while social areas were kept in a shared logic with the existing house. Flexibility was a goal to be achieved in this singular context, so an ingenious design explored the traditional values of Japanese architecture in a more dynamic approach. Continue reading →

Are you ready for a magical trip inside an exquisite piece of contemporary architecture? In Tokyo, Japan there’s a four-story building full of unexpected spatial surprises: House H. Located in a very small site totally surrounded by multi-story residences, the challenge became crystal clear for both architect and client: merge privacy with the basic need for daylight and views over the tight exterior area. Continue reading →

In Hokkaido, Japan there’s a residence that evokes the serenity of a temple: Layered House. Its scale and tectonics reinforce a state of quietness, a perfect place for living in one of the busiest areas of the city. A hermetic two-story volume with a total floor area of 202sqm preserves the necessary boundary between domestic and urban environments. A large gap on the front facade indicates the entrance and garage areas, accompanied by three tiny square windows. The rest of the facade remains totally opaque, like a defensive wall. Continue reading →

A giant light volume erupts from the ground of Hiroshima, Japan. House in Tousuien serves both as a home and domestic museum for an avid collector of motorcycles and his family of four. We’re talking about a three-story building with a total floor area of 208sqm completely covered in translucent panels. The outcome couldn’t be more impressive: an inhabitable lantern that glows its warm light through the entire neighborhood. Continue reading →

In Oita, Japan there’s a house that gathers a mother, a child and a dog: Dog Salon. This small single-story building with a total floor area of 66sqm is totally covered in grey metallic panels contrasting with the surrounding rice fields. The program follows the desire to combine work and living areas in a small space : one end of the building serves as the living space while the work area – a dog salon – is placed on the other side. Continue reading →

In Kanagawa, Japan there’s a shiny volume with an unconventional shape that shelters a family of four and a series of domestic gardens. House with Gardens is a small four-story building with a project area of 136sqm placed in a quiet residential area where birds can be heard all day long… The designation of this piece of contemporary Japanese architecture fully expresses the concept behind a remarkable fusion between nature and urban context. Continue reading →

Not all houses have the privilege of being surrounded by woods and a small field, especially not in a dense urban city like Tokyo, Japan. H Orange is one of these rare examples: a small three-story building, with a project area of 115sqm, placed in an outstanding urban setting where privacy is not an issue. Continue reading →