eri sumitomo architects + enjoyworks insert acrylic 'curtain' within house in hayama, japan

eri sumitomo architects has collaborated with enjoyworks to develop house in hayama, a small wooden dwelling in japan for a couple, surrounded by a rich natural environment. the residence is designed as a timber structure box where users can plan inside freely, and incorporates a ‘curtain’ made of acrylic panels and hemlock grids, which crosses the north and south and tilts the upper end slightly. contrasting the simple box, this curtain extends up to the ceiling of the building and features openings so that residents can see each other from various points.all images by takashi okamoto

eri sumitomo architects has designed house in hayama in collaboration with enjoyworks, which develops its own construction method for housing. built for a couple, the house comprises a simple timber box, where a ‘curtain’ – curved surface – made of acrylic panels and hemlock grids, cuts through it. in this way, the interior is gently divided while the tall atrium becomes the center of daily life. on the upper floor, which is a continuation of small rooms, the architects have created a series of openings so that residents can see each other from various points. the ‘curtain’ is a clean white surface during the day, letting natural light pass through the house freely, but lights up the whole interior like a lantern at night.

the site faces a retaining wall on the south while there is the landscape of mountains on the north. ‘we tried to maximize this uniqueness of this site for the design,’ explains eri sumitomo architects. ‘so we simply layout main openings on the south side and the north side alongside the ‘curtain’. people can feel the atrium as a part of nature in a sense.’ the architects utilized computational technique to design lighting, the relationship between rooms, and the inclination of walls, so that they could work with constructors efficiently.