Saitama House: A Small Modern Country Shed

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.
The front of the house is even more unusual where various sized windows are scattered at random.

Designed by Tokyo-based Satoru Hirota Architects, this two-story home looks quite simple from the outside, however its interior design is a whole different story;


clean white walls and dark wood finish create a minimalist, modern look & feel, whereas randomly placed windows catch your eye, shedding natural light in unexpected angles.


* All images courtesy of Satoru Hirota Architects

House in Kakinokizaka

Located in one of the most prestigious residential areas in Tokyo, this modern 455.88 sq. meters family home was designed by Japanese Architects Satoshi Okada for a successful entrepreneur who is passionate about cars, his wife and daughter.
The owner�s requirements were to design a reinforced concrete structure with an exposed concrete finish and a high ceiling living room, same way like a fortification. And most importantly, the owner wanted to park six cars in front of the public road; two of them for ordinary use, and the other four for his private car gallery.

Due to severe earthquakes and the increasing social crimes in urban areas such as in today�s Tokyo, people are looking to feel safe and to protect their privacy, resulting in secured homes enclosed by the rigid and fireproof walls of reinforced concrete.

The facade is articulated both horizontally and vertically, where the main entrance is placed in-between the car gallery and the garage for ordinary vehicles. A patio was also created � a medium between the private car gallery and the family�s living quarters � enabling the residents to enjoy the view of the gallery, both from the main bedroom, which is a half story down below the ground level, as well as from the living room above.


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House in Wakabadai

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.
Most of the ground area of the compact 116 sq. meters space was turned into an open area to offer better visual clearance and ventilation, as well as a sheltered parking space for the owner�s two cars.

Located at the end of a blind alley far back from the main street, the house is bordered by a river, a two-storied private house, a two-storied apartment building and a small crop field. In an attempt to ease the crowded density of the adjacent buildings, walls that may get in the way of the view were tilted inward, and from the first floor up external walls were arranged so that the distance between the two buildings gradually increases upward.


The house is a wooden structure mostly made of 2�4 members and laminated panels, based on three structural elements that lift up the double-layered living section. The largest element is the core housing the staircase, storage, washing place for the dog, and lavatory. The other two elements house utility pipes and wires, thinning gradually toward the ground.

Exterior walls were covered with 5mm slit boards of rustproof steel sheet 1 mm thick, placed at a distance of 5mm from the base steel plates to create heat-insulating air space in between, in order to provide comfortable interior environment during summer seasons.

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House in Mt. Fuji

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.
The house consists of a wood-frame construction with an exterior of Black-stained Japanese cedar. It is situated in such a way to fully appriciate sunlight, trees, and the panoramic rise and fall of the land, while shielding a neighboring log-house.

With the use of a diagonally folded wall, the total 138.65 sq. meters of the house is divided into a big living space for guests and an area for private bedrooms and bathroom.

A tall and narrow dim space leads you through from the entrance towards the living space, gradually reaching the taller, broader and lighter space along the folded wall. Inspired by the gradient of the terrain, the living space features a slanted ceiling, which gradually comes down from 5.3m to 3.8m in accordance with the sloping roof.

�In the landscape of between leaves above and turfs bottom, the villa stands like a ground upheaval of the site, where the black lava has slept since the ancient times. It also provides a dark band between the greens, where the blackness represents a shadow in the forest.�

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House in Ogikubo

Located in Ogikubo, one of Tokyo�s highly congested districts, this unique wooden house is situated on a small lot and serves as a 198.47 sq. meters residence, accommodating two families who wanted to live together in two different houses in a single site.
The irregular and relatively small site faces upon a narrow public road to the south, a private path to the west, and a neighbor�s garden with plenty of beautiful greens beyond a fence on the north.

Each family has their own private space: three stories were allocated for the younger family and two stories for the elder family. A tilted wall divides between both realms. The younger family enjoys a double height living area, while the elder family has a bedroom on the ground floor and a tatami-mat room on the first floor.


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Grass Home: Ode to Wood

One of the things I like about this house is its simplicity. It has a rectangular shape with horizontal openings that seem to be carved out of the wooden material. Designed by Japanese architects Masaaki Okuno, this 117 sq. meters single family home is located in Minami-Alps City, Japan.
Natural wooden planks are visible throughout the interior of the house as well as the exterior. The design of this two-story house is minimal and unpretentious; it almost seems as if the wood itself is the main theme of this home, displaying its different tones and layouts for all to see with only several items to keep it company.





* All images courtesy of Masaaki Okuno

Gallery House: Semi-Outdoor Spaces

Designed by Japanese architects Masaaki Okuno, this two-story wooden home is located in Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan. Its floor area is 156 sq. meters, featuring spacious and airy semi-outdoor spaces throughout the house.
The most prominent feature of this beautiful modern house is a set of open corridors, surrounding a charming inner courtyard, which can be enjoyed from almost every space in this residential home.




Inside, the architectural balance is excellent, featuring vertical elements such as the courtyard tree, horizontal elements created by the large opening in the second floor, and the diagonal open staircase.


The entrance to the house is pure and simple, and that is exactly why I like it. A couple of stairs (which seem like white concrete slabs), a small light fixture, a tree and a few shrubs create a warm and inviting space to welcome guests into your home.

* All images courtesy of Masaaki Okuno

Japanese T-house: Let There Be Light

It�s no secret that light can change the ambiance of a space. The T House is both contemporary and full of drama, where a spectacular effect is achieved by illuminating certain spaces via a perfectly planned lighting system. The atmosphere created throughout this family home is modern yet warm and inviting.
It�s a two-story house with a stylish black and white box-shaped form. Located in Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan, this wooden structure serves as the home for a family of five, featuring a total space of approx. 280 sq. meters.


Living spaces are full of ambiance and character, combining both modern and traditional elements;

the main staircase is simply beautiful;

and the minimalist courtyard, as viewed from the inside, seems like a photograph framed by the dark interior.

* All images courtesy of Architect Show

Japanese Prefab: Narrow House

This modern prefab house is a three-story residential home in the Sumida area in Tokyo, Japan. It was built for a young couple in their mid 20�s who purchased a very narrow and deep plot facing the back of a forested park. Featuring a �tube� like form, this small house is constructed of steel with a compact living space of 27 sq. meters (approx. 3mW x 9mD).
Although the house is quite narrow it does not feel crowded. Light pours down from skylights placed on the top floor through the stairs, and from the floor-to-ceiling glass facade, creating an impression of spaciousness.

The overall feel of the house is contemporary, featuring white washed walls, large glass openings overlooking the nearby park, lots of natural light � all combined with metal, wood and glass elements. This house has been featured in Michelle Galindo�s book Contemporary Prefab Houses

* More info at Apollo Architects