House in Himeji

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

HOUSE IN HIMEJI

FujiwaraMuro Architects

AREA
55 m²

YEAR
2020

PHOTOGRAPHS
Katsuya, Taira

MANUFACTURERS
New Light Pottery, Saint-gobain, Kousei, Lixil

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Shintaro Fujiwara, Yoshio Muro

DESIGN TEAM
Fujiwaramuro Architects

LOCATION
Himeji, Japan

CATEGORY
Houses

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

At a turn in a sloping road leading up and away from central Himeji, a rectangular building with a square opening in the wall comes into view. The residential neighborhood where it is located is in the foothills, and the house sits on a corner lot with sweeping views of the city.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

Panoramic vistas over the foothills to the southwest were a top priority for the client.

They also requested a place to play table tennis, which required a comparatively large space.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

The challenge was to mediate between these two requests while creating a varied and fulfilling living space.

The design features a large opening in the southwestern wall of the house, set at a floor level that is intentionally lower than the rest of the house.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

The floor level is varied elsewhere in the house as well, enriching the interior environment by creating various angles on the view through this opening.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

On the first floor, the diversity of the space is further enhanced by the inclusion of several “marginal” areas whose use is not clearly defined, such as a large doma (concrete-floored area where shoes may be worn), deck adjacent to the opening, and courtyard below it, all of which blur spatial boundaries.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

Soft light from the large opening fills the rooms on the first floor. In the courtyard, the light filters through the wooden lattice of the deck overhead.

In the dining and kitchen area at the back of the second floor, residents enjoy views framed by a smaller square window, while in the living room they take in wider vistas in a relaxed atmosphere.

House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira
House in Himeji
© Katsuya. Taira

Overall, the house offers many different relationships with the outside world through its varied floor levels and marginal spaces, all focused around the large wall opening.


House in Himeji
Section A
House in Himeji
Section B


House in Himeji
East Elevation
House in Himeji
North Elevation


House in Himeji
First Floor Plan
House in Himeji
Second Floor Plan
House in Himeji
Roof Plan