House in Mikage is a minimal home located in Hyogo, Japan, designed by SIDES CORE. Simple containers made of quality materials are the easiest to use, and they bring out the best in whatever is inside. We think of living spaces as containers, which bring out the best in your family and your life. The project began with a request from a couple that owns a beauty salon the architects designed 15 years ago. The salon still feels modern today, and shows how well the owners have taken care of it. The property is located in a quiet residential area of Mikage, a nice contrast to their salon in downtown Rokko. It sits two meters above the street that forms its southern border, protecting the family’s privacy from the eyes of passersby below. A forested area on a cliff, spared from development, is visible to the south. The view from the house takes full advantage of the borrowed scenery.

Photography by Takumi Ota