This residence extends deep into the ground. In Japan, all designs must meet rigorous structural requirements and include earthquake safety measures. With regard to determining the shape of the crystalline building massing, however, the architect had considerably more leeway.
Large openings in the enamelled glass facades bring light into the spaces, mark the entrance, and open up the view to the nearby park. Dark steel profiles hold sliding textured-glass elements – a reinterpretation of the shutter – that furnish privacy and contrast clearly with the light-green shimmering building. The grey concrete surfaces inside the house become animated when light passes through the textured glass.
Large openings in the enamelled glass facades bring light into the spaces, mark the entrance, and open up the view to the nearby park. Dark steel profiles hold sliding textured-glass elements – a reinterpretation of the shutter – that furnish privacy and contrast clearly with the light-green shimmering building. The grey concrete surfaces inside the house become animated when light passes through the textured glass.