This residence overlooking the city of Matsumoto with its famous castle and the beautiful mountain ridgeline beyond was designed for the mother of lead architect Hitoshi Saruta and guided by memories of his own childhood in Matsumoto. The house frames its sweeping views in a way that constantly reveals fresh discoveries in the changing color of the sky, the movement of the clouds, the mood of the mountains, and the shifting seasons.

Although the windows at first appear randomly placed, they are in fact carefully designed so that their varied sizes, depths, heights, finishes, and shapes present a diverse sequence of scenes whether the viewer is sitting or standing. The barnacle shape of the bay windows serves to heighten this framing effect, as well as to create a striking exterior appearance and deepen the shadows inside. Because the structure follows the V-shape of the property, the broad plain occupied by Matsumoto and its neighboring cities is visible from anywhere inside. There are no windows on the side of the house facing the road due to privacy concerns, but many on the opposite side facing the landscape.  Natural light therefore comes exclusively from one direction, which increases contrasts in the lighting and, together with the placement of the windows, results in a strongly shadowed spatial structure.

A separate building houses a music room for playing piano. Throughout both buildings, the minimalist interiors feature exposed wood framing arranged in the kaburazuka style, with beams radiating from a central hub. The design evokes Matsumoto’s traditional buildings yet is unique thanks to the varied angles of the roof, achieving a free and bold interior.

Material Used:

Exterior : Mortar, Galvalume-Coated Metal

Floor : Wood Flooring(Black Walnut), Mortar, Slate,Carpet, Tile, Tile, Cushion Floor

Wall : Plaster, Wallpaper, Washi, Tile, Aep

Ceiling : Cedar + Oil Paint, Wallpaper, Aep