When viewed from one side, this wooden house in Saitama, Japan, looks like a country shed, with its simple box like design, white exterior and one small window that you simply cannot ignore.

Nestled in a wooded area in the northern foothills of the famous Japanese Mt. Fuji, this unique structure serves as a small weekend villa for guests. The owners asked Satoshi Okada Architects for a compact home with a small footprint not to disturb its natural surroundings – a forest of deciduous trees, such as Japanese beech, white birch and magnolia.

Situated on a tiny 66 sq. meters lot, this small family home was designed by Japanese Satoshi Okada Architects for a young couple, who requested ‘a house that is attractive and cool’. The outer shape of the building was adjusted in terms of scale in relation to the surroundings, by tilting and trimming volumes and surfaces.

Designed by Japanese Toyo Ito Architects, this compact home is quite impressive both in form and in its choice of materials: a metal exterior finish combined with a warm wood interior design.

Located in the dense residential area of Tokyo’s Meguro district, ‘G’ is a contemporary single family home with a small living area of approx. 155 sq. meters, distributed over three floors. This concrete and timber structure sits on a compact (107 sq. meters) plot area. It features large open areas combined with different shades of white and minimal decorations.

This compact house is small and narrow, however thanks to the skylight that runs the length of this lovely residential home, it’s also bright and full of natural light.