A house designed to breathe.
A private Kyoto residence shaped around light, landscape, material and silence. One roof, three gardens, and a walk that never leaves the house.
One continuous walk.
Built by the hand.
Beam into column, tenon into mortise, paper over lattice, clay over lath. Nothing is hidden and nothing is glued.
Koi, moss, seven stones and a bridge. Foreground leaves move; the water hardly does.
The same house, four times.
Deep green foliage and warm daylight.
Five rooms, one roof.
The tea room
Four and a half mats, a sunken hearth and just enough light. Everything here is smaller so that attention grows.
- Tatami
- Hinoki
- Washi
- Handmade ceramic
The living room
Exposed cedar beams, a low table and four chairs without legs. Contemporary comfort inside a traditional frame.
- Sugi beams
- Tatami
- Glazed doors
- Paper pendant
The kitchen
Slatted timber cabinets, a hinoki counter and a sunk basin. Appliances kept behind the same slats as everything else.
- Hinoki counter
- Brass
- Stoneware
- Tatami dining
The bedroom
A platform bed on tatami, an indigo quilt and two paper lamps. Nothing that does not belong.
- Indigo linen
- Tatami
- Painted screen
- Andon
The onsen
A cypress tub facing the garden, filled to the brim. The wood scents the water and the water darkens the wood.
- Hinoki tub
- Slate
- Bamboo
- Steam
From above.
Move across the plan. Choose a room and the walk takes you there.
