11. House NA – by Sou Fujimoto
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Completion Year: 2011
Designed for a young couple, House NA by renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto is radical and innovative. In contrast to the dense homes, Fujimoto constructs a light and transparent white steel frame space, inspired by the concept of living in a tree. The spacious interior is made of 21-floor plates at different heights, accommodating the client’s request to live as nomads. By loosely defining a program, a variety of activities can take place, allowing the house to act as publicly and privately.
12. Nerima House – by Elding Oscarson
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Completion Year: 2015
Nerima house by Stockholm-based architects Elding Oscarson is a compact project in the outskirts of Tokyo. The program was relatively unspecific and only required that the architects preserve the garden, fit parking, and maximize the footprint. As is typical in Japanese architecture, the garden is what pushed the design and ending result of the house. The entrance is semi-submerged into the ground and leads to an open plan, providing both privacy, space, and views. The timber-clad structure features a glass strip window emphasizing the outdoors.
13. House N – by Sou Fujimoto
Location: Oita, Japan
Completion Year: 2008
Another Sou Fujimoto classic is House N. Designed for two people and their dog, House N features three nests that define the inhabitants’ activities. The outermost nest features a covered garden and creates a slight transition between inside and out. The middle nest is a sheltered space within the garden, while the innermost nest is the private interior space. No defined boundary in the house creates a feeling of living among the clouds. Fujimoto removes ideas of space and form and expresses the in-between. .
14. Nishinoyama House – by Kazuyo Sejima
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Completion Year: 2014
Designed by SANAA’s Kazuyo Sejima, the Nishinoyama House is a ten-unit housing complex in Kyoto. Built on a gentle slope next to a large vegetable garden, the complex expresses a free and expansive atmosphere while offering views. Communal living is encouraged through the scheme of the house, connecting the ten properties under a single roof with multiple gardens and passageways. The many gardens and rooms take on various patterns and layouts, giving individuality to a public residential project.
15. 8.5 House – by DOG Architects
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Completion Year: 2019
Located along Japan’s historic sea route, this painter’s house is a new perspective on Japanese architecture. Using the strategy of vertical design, DOG Architects manage to make room for the painter and his family, along with a studio. Street passersby can take a look into the painter’s studio space through the glass facade, but the bedrooms and storage area are tucked away from street level. Sculptural and functional, the 8.5 House is an interesting project for a creative family.
16. D House – by Ron Arad
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Completion Year: 2016
Designed by London-based architect Ron Arad the D House is a three-level house of a unique facade. The narrow site boundaries are contrasted by the expressive steel ribbon exterior. Locally fabricated steel creates an illusion of movement and elevates the house’s concrete frame, manipulating light and shadow. Floors decrease as you ascend, making each level specific to its program layout.
17. Grigio House – by Apollo Architects & Associates
Location: Setagaya, Japan
Completion Year: 2015
With the ultimate goal of coexistence between an art collection and a car, the Grigio House is a celebration of concrete, courtyards, and light. The client wanted to blend his interests without compromising the living quality of his wife and daughter. The L-shaped plan is comfortable, open, and allows private and public spaces. While the interior is mostly gray and beige, pops of color from art pieces add depth and simulation. Seemingly closed off from the outside, high windows and skylights break the concrete surroundings.
18. Wave – by Apollo Architects & Associates
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Completion Year: 2014
Another project by Apollo Architects is situated just two kilometers from the ocean in Kanagawa. With the idea of a resort hotel in mind, the client wanted to create a relaxed vacation feel to his family home. The floating facade is inviting and bright and leads to a U-shaped plan surrounding a ground-floor courtyard. The progression and program through the home considers the family’s steps after coming home from the beach. The interior is open and spacious, creating connections between the inside and out.
19. Koyasan Guest House – by Alphaville Architects
Location: Koya, Japan
Completion Year: 2012
The Koyasan Guest House is a blend between a dormitory and a hotel, where privacy is valued, and community activity is encouraged and prioritized. Two by four wooden beams are wrapped by the exterior wall and insulation, as the architects implemented traditional Japanese architecture skills across the structure, finish, and furniture. The simple setup of the space allows for multiple guests to maintain and modify the architecture for a long time. Alphaville makes use of natural, subtle light from above the structure to illuminate the space.
20. House with Plants – by Junya Ishigami
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Completion Year: 2012
Junya Ishigami is a distinguished Japanese architect and alumni of Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. The House of Plants bridges the boundary with a double-height interior space that invites the exterior garden within the cuboid envelope. With exterior glazing on the facade, the planting inside the house is revealed to passersby on the street level. Everyday experiences are manipulated and the relationship between people and plants is celebrated.
