Landscape House is a minimal home located in Shiga, Japan, designed by FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects. Located in a relatively spacious residential area, the house has been built with the client-run hair salon attached. There’s a park across the front road from the site. The area allows to closely view Mt. Ibuki, one of 100 famous Japanese mountains. In such conditions, the architects came up with the architecture that would bring out a good living environment while laying out the volumes of the requested shop and of the residential part in an appropriate proportion.

The building is composed of symmetrical volumes for which the proportion, openings, and materials have been carefully considered. The dynamic form creates a new façade in the streetscape. The first floor consists of the hair salon, residential entrance hall, and bathroom. LDK (living, dining and kitchen area) is laid out as well as bed rooms and children’s rooms on the second floor. The LDK has varied ceiling heights and has been planned to make the room including the stair hall as one continuous space. It can be loosely divided with curtains as necessary.

To add visual depth, an opening has been provided to the wall in the back, reinforcing the sequential space which stretches in the longitudinal direction. To the volume which is projected from the independent wall that characterizes the façade, a high-side light has been provided, blocking eyes from the environment and clipping the magnificent view. In addition, the low wall below the window has been recessed, creating a niche which makes you feel huddled and cozy. The modern-colored tiles on the wall along with the view from the high-side light produce a beautiful and expressive space.

Also provided to the stair hall wall in the back is a large opening that allows to feel light and breeze near the window. The space trimmed with the mortar window frame can be flexibly used as a display or study. The view seen through the lace curtain and gently streaming light create emotional scenes. This house teaches us that it is the good relationship between external environment and internal space that gives openness or calmness to a residence with a good location.

Photography by Norihito Yamauchi

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