kengo kuma's shiro villa introduces warm white geometries to a japanese garden

with a design driven by a minimal and natural color palette, the residential project entitled ‘shiro villa’ by kengo kuma and associates comprises two dwellings. completed in 2018, the project is defined by a monumental residence accompanied by a smaller guest house which is buried away within a garden. located in japan’s shizuoka prefecture, the house stands as a wash of warm white planes of textural wood, with ambient natural sunlight diffused by deep overhangs.

all images by kawasumi・kobayashi kenji photograph office

the bold face of kengo kuma & associates’ shiro villa expresses the main building’s monumental entrance. floating steps stretch the full length of the house in a grand gesture. the façade suggests a plane of glass wrapped in deep folding white geometries, capturing the light of the sun and offering glowing interiors. the long entrance porch opens inward toward a wide, open plan living area enclosed by full height glazing and shaded by a dramatic overhand.

project info:

project title: shiro villa

architecture: kengo kuma & associates

location: shizuoka, japan

project team: masafumi yukimoto, so nakamura, tomomi sekiguchi, fumiki sugawara, shoki an, shiho yoo

completion: 2018

photography: kawasumi・kobayashi kenji photograph office