Atsushi Hio · CLIENT: Arks Design Studio
Glass Wall is a residential house built in Himeji, Japan in 2022. The house stands on a hill in a quiet residential area and uses the slope of the land to secure privacy. A reinforced concrete structure was chosen to provide large interior spaces and high resistance to earthquakes. The front elevation is divided into three box shapes set at different heights to avoid a monotonous appearance. One section holds a glass wall that lights an atrium space. The wood grain of cedar boards was transferred to the concrete walls so the surfaces do not look cold.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The client desired a space that secures privacy and makes good use of the difference in elevation of the land.
For this reason a reinforced concrete structure was adopted which allows to keep large interior space and is highly earthquake resistant in Japan, a country prone to frequent earthquakes.
The front of the building has three box shapes arranged at different heights to avoid a monotonous design.
A glass wall is placed in one section. The interior of the glass wall is an atrium space that emits a fantastic light.
The lighting fixtures are the icon of the building. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Reinforced concrete construction land area 591 square meters building area 356 square meters
- Tags
- Glass, Design, Architect, Interior, House, Castle
- Production Technology
- To maximize interior space and ensure the strength against earthquakes which occur often in Japan, reinforced concrete structures are used. The front appearance of the house is separated into three box shapes to avoid a monotonous design. Part of it has a glass wall In addition the wood grain of the cedar board is transferred to the concrete wall so that it does not look cold.
- Design Challenge
- While designing building plans exteriors and interiors we are considering a space design with light and shadow using natural lighting and artificial illuminance. They are affected by the time of day and the weather but the expression also changes depending on the material and color of the space. In this design walnut natural wood boards for the walls are used in the rooms but the walnut walls absorb more light than expected so expected brightness is not obtained. But the problem was solved by increasing the illuminance and adding new lighting equipment.
- Project Duration
- Built in Himeji, Japan in 2022
- Operation Flow
- We examined how the difference in elevation of the land affected the design and everyday life including how to utilize effective space and ensure privacy.
We devised ideas to make the interior as comfortable as possible for the client by eliminating as many steps as possible. - Research
- An important aspect of the design of this house is the use of large glass openings in the living room, which has a high atrium, because the house is located on a hill, which allows for privacy from the outside.
By researching how light enters each season in the planned site, the living room was designed to be lit with sunlight all year round, to achieve both design and ecology and to improve performance. - Inspiration
- The planned site is a quiet luxury residential area. The surrounding housing complex is about 50 years old and has an old atmosphere. Uniquely designed houses will be odd in this area so harmonizing design with surrounding old houses and rich atmosphere is challenging and a priority. Also this location is on the hill where Himeji Castle World Heritage Site can be seen and the beautiful scenery is wide open in front of the site. So luxury but rustic appearance brings harmony and modern lifestyle but nature inspired inside design brings comfort.
- Image Credits
- Photographer Senichiro Nogami
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