House in japan

【Background】 This new residential project was planned for a couple in their 20s who are deeply knowledgeable in fields such as design and fashion. Having noticed our previous architectural works, they requested a spatial proposal with a simple design that would exceed the client's imagination. In response to their request, we treated the simple gabled volume as a single large box, arranging the necessary small rooms within it and configuring the layout so that all the remaining space functions as the living room. On the first floor, a raised platform (koagari / 小上がり) was created facing the living room, while on the second floor, structural floor level differences were introduced to bring a dynamic change to the expansiveness of the space.... More

House Tenjin is located in Tenjinmae-cho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan. Operated by the hotel brand Keiyuugyo, the building was originally a timber machiya townhouse constructed in the early Showa period. In this renovation, we took the spatial typology of the machiya as a guiding framework, clarified the house’s structural logic, and reorganized its spatial composition. Through a restrained architectural language, the project reweaves its functions, spaces, and living experience. Yasugi Kazuoki Yasugi Kazuoki Yasugi Kazuoki Yasugi Kazuoki Yasugi Kazuoki Over its long period of use, the existing building had undergone multiple alterations. The street-facing shop space had absorbed the original earthen passagew... More

ATAMI taught us to seek the hidden potential within the historic and cultural fabric of a building, embrace it, and carry it forward into a new chapter of its life. The house presented itself as a traditional Japanese structure, with multiple rooms divided by shoji doors, low ceilings, and tatami floors. Masao Nishikawa Photography studio Masao Nishikawa Photography studio While inspecting for possible roof leaks, we uncovered a beautiful wooden frame with aged natural beams. We immediately recognized this as the building's hidden soul—a place where Japanese craftsmanship truly excelled, yet had remained unseen for decades. Masao Nishikawa Photography studio From that moment, we began to understand the house as a kind... More

This home is designed and constructed in the spirit of the gassho-zukuri style, which was historically common during Japan’s Edo period. Characterised by a 50-degree roof pitch to prevent snow accumulation and fallen leaves from the surrounding Yatsugatake forest, the open layout merges the living room, bedroom, and roof framework. This creates a communal space where families and friends can gather freely. The home’s seamless design integrates natural materials, like locally sourced wood and diatomaceous earth walls, offering a harmonious environment. Sobokuya-Inc.-Courtesy-of-Sobokuya_by-Sobokuya Sobokuya-Inc.-Courtesy-of-Sobokuya_by-Sobokuya Sobokuya-Inc.-Courtesy-of-Sobokuya_by-Sobokuya The kitchen is thoughtf... More

Transformation of a 1960s Wooden Apartment Building in Tokyo’s Minato Ward into a Commercial Rental Property In the heart of Tokyo, Minato Ward, a traditional wooden apartment building, originally comprising six separate units, has been reimagined into a single cohesive commercial space. This architectural transformation involved a complete internal renovation, where all interior walls were demolished to create an open and unified living environment. Enhancing Light and Space on the Ground Floor The ground floor, which previously suffered from poor natural lighting and a somewhat gloomy atmosphere, was carefully redesigned to maximize the use of available light. Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Nakamura Akira Naka... More

Arakawa House project is a renovation of a two-story wooden building from the seventies located in Arakawa ward, on the north east end of Tokyo metropolis. Akira Nakamura The ground floor used to be an electronics shop and the upper floor, judging from the disposition, probably served as a dormitory. It was vacant for more than 7 years before the new owner contacted us. Akira Nakamura Given the property’s big dimensions and fragmented inconvenient floor plan, the owner struggled to find tenants and decided to renovate within our Kariage project. At zero cost for the owner Roovice renovates and then takes care of subleasing old vacant houses. The project started in 2015 as a reaction to Japan’s worsening akiya (空き家) p... More

This project involves the renovation of a 120-year-old traditional wooden house in the Misumi region of Shimane Japan into an accommodation facility.The building, which looks out to sea and nestles up against a hill at the back of the house, was built as a detached house for the local landlord. It is built directly on a stone foundation fending earthquakes off by shaking the structure itself.The building is almost semi-outdoor, with only a wooden door as an external wall to blow the wind.  Ryo Tsuchida Ryo Tsuchida Ryo Tsuchida The client wanted visitors to the fishing village, which is characterised by its stone-tile roofs, to experience the local climate and culture, including nature, as it is. Ryo Tsuchida Ry... More

This private house was originally built back in 1991 and is situated in Ōmachi, a locality in the historical city of Kamakura in the Kanagawa Prefecture. The building is placed on a hillside surrounded by nature, resulting in beautiful landscapes in every direction faced at. Akira nakamura Before the modernisation, the kitchen, living and Japanese-style rooms were all separated in their own enclosed area. This fragmentation spoiled the efficiency of the surface and created a complicated circulation inside. Akira nakamura Hence, the renovation started by removing the dividing wall between the living and tatami rooms on the first floor. This shaped a spacious kitchen and living room that covers the whole north-south direction of t... More

Here, on Showa Koji in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, row houses built before World War II stand on both sides of the alley. When the tenants changed, the residential units were renovated one by one, and this is the third phase of the project.In the past, repairs and DIY by the tenants spoiled the appearance, but as the project progressed, the roofs and plastered walls were integrated and the different designs of louvers and windows achieved a good rhythm and balance.In this phase, based on market research, sanitary areas were minimised and living rooms were maximised to fit in with the lifestyle of running a small shop or office and living there.The framework of Machiya assembled with old post and beams was emphasised while the finishing materials... More

This is a project to renovate an old house in Nara City. Various buildings of different ages stand on the site, sharing a corridor and a courtyard. The oldest and largest of them is a barn with a large atrium, built to store long logs. The barn had been little used for many years and had become weathered. The client wanted to renovate it into a comfortable living space. Keishiro Yamada We removed a large amount of mud walls that had detached from the bamboo framework due to continuous leaks, rebuilt the basement, reinforced columns and beams that had been weakened by termite and decay damage, and filled the roof and walls with insulation. Keishiro Yamada The atrium, converted into a large living room, leads to a Japanese-style r... More

This project is a renovation of a traditional Japanese house in Nara, Japan for a young couple and their children. The husband spent his childhood here and later his family lived in Tokyo, but in order to improve their work and lifestyle, they decided to renovate the vacant house and move in. Yohei Sasakura The house was built around 1930 and had been extended and remodeled several times, and there were no drawings or other documents available. When we removed the finishes to investigate, the history of the old renovations was revealed one after another in the floors, walls, and ceilings. Yohei Sasakura The earthen floor had been renovated into a kitchen and dining room, "engawa" - a semi-outdoor deck - had been converted into a... More

NIKI-H by Takashi Seisho and Kazunori WakaiA small house designed for wine-making settlers in Hokkaido. The client is starting up a winery and requested a house with minimal essentials to live with his partner. The freezing depth of the ground is 60 cm, which becomes the requirement to obtain anti-freeze properties. Making the most of it, the structure was created simply by installing a roof over the RC foundation deeply rooted underground.    Caption Structural calculations dictate the roof slope of a 60-degree-angle to withstand the snow load. Applying this curve, the gable roof produced an equilateral triangle on the gable façade. Caption The geometry of the triangular prism stands out be a distinctive volum... More

A family of four and a pet's house with the theme of "a comfortable home to live with pets while valuing each family's hobbies and time, with high functionality and efficiency, and no waste in storage." By making the building almost a one-story building with a courtyard, it is possible to continue a barrier-free, safe and secure life that is not affected by changes in the surrounding environment in the future. Osawa Seiichi Dogs and cats can play in the courtyard with peace of mind, and cats can freely come and go to the cat terrace on the second floor using the catwalk in the living room. Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi ISHII Masahiro ISHII Masahiro Osawa Seiichi More

It is a two-family house where each household can live calmly while respecting their privacy.Elevators will be set up, with parent households on the 3rd floor and child households on the 1st and 2nd floors. The LDKs of each household were placed in the south corner where the sunlight was good and the visibility was open throughout the year. It is a residence that incorporates an external space that has a role for each household so that they can live comfortably while maintaining a reasonable sense of distance and interact with their neighbors. Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi Osawa Seiichi   More