An angular concrete shape and a cut-out courtyard define the house in Tsurumi-ku, a single-family house added to a sloping street corner in Osaka by Japanese studio FujiwaraMuro Architects.
The house is built on a plinth embedded in the plot and consists of a series of overlapping concrete blocks and smaller volumes covered with wooden battens, pierced by several external openings.
Gaps and courtyards between block forms across the interior allow light to penetrate and create sight lines between rooms on all levels.
This layout was designed by FujiwaraMuro Architects with the aim of offering the family privacy from the busy neighboring street while providing plenty of light.
“By layering the boxes, we wanted to create different light, depth of space and a sense of connection between the first and second floors,” architect Kosuke Katashima told Dezeen.
“The building is not a symbolic opening, but rather a way to let in different light through the layers above.”
The house in Tsurumi-ku replaces an existing building on the site, which FujiwaraMuro Architects originally intended to renovate before realizing that it was “impossible to provide the required floor areas”.
“When we investigated the conditions on the site, it became clear that the various old buildings are intermingled and create many unused spaces, so it is not possible to provide the required floor areas,” said the studio. “The project ended up being a new build.”
The neutral surface of the concrete exterior is reflected inside in a light gray palette of materials to help light bounce around the space.
These finishes contrast with several surfaces covered in wood trim, from the ceilings to the kitchen island.
“We chose a light gray color instead of pure white because we hoped to create a subtle reflection of light,” Katashima said.
“We used materials that contrasted with the gray to create a multi-layered feel, so we opted for a two-tone scheme.”
On the ground floor, the main entrance leads to the circulation area bordered by the courtyard.
The batten-covered base of one of the stepped blocks, which sinks down to the ground floor, is left exposed overhead.
On one side of the ground floor, an open kitchen, living and dining area winds around the courtyard. An open space full of wooden accents and bordered by a pastel pink corner offers access to the upper floor of the house via a wooden staircase.
In addition to the main living area, the other rooms on the ground floor are a Buddhist altar room, a bathroom and a pantry.
On the top floor of the house in Tsurumi-ku are four bedrooms that branch off from a network of corridors lit by courtyards.
Floor-to-ceiling glazing lining the voids on both levels also helps maximize natural light and frame views of the home’s plantings.
“Light flows into the corridors leading to the private rooms on the second floor, providing a sense of connection with the outside world,” the studio said.
FujiwaraMuro Architects was founded by architects Shintaro Fujiwara and Yoshio Muro in Osaka in 2002. Its other recent projects include a house with “labyrinth” concrete walls and a residence with an oversized roof supported by large wooden beams.
Photo by Katsuya Taira.