1110 plans 'necklace house' like a string of beads around a garden

Necklace House: A Dog-Friendly Villa on Awaji Island

Japanese studio 1110 Office for Architecture completes this Necklace House as a seaside rental villa designed for dog owners, located on the northern part of Awaji Island. This region has seen rapid urbanization, with the addition of new cafés and theme park developments reshaping the landscape. Rather than rejecting or uncritically embracing these changes, the architects approached the project with a philosophy of ‘ambiguity and ambivalence,’ aiming to thoughtfully integrate the villa within this evolving context.

images © Yohei Sasakura

Courtyard Design as a Protective Buffer

Designing its Necklace House, the team at 1110 Office for Architecture reflects the unique topography of Awaji Island, where the sea meets the mountains. Limited flat land, dense housing, and proximity to roads and residential areas posed design challenges. To address these issues, the architects chose a courtyard layout that acts as a protective buffer from the noisy road and neighboring properties. Large openings on the street-facing side invite views of the dynamic surroundings and the sea, creating visual connections throughout the villa.

A key feature of the home is its gentle, sloping courtyard that accommodates the building’s stepped floors. This design forms a circular flow linking the interior and exterior spaces, as well as the villa’s two terraces. The north-facing terrace offers a shaded, tranquil view of the courtyard and distant landscape, while the south-facing terrace provides a vantage point for stargazing after dinner or bathing. By leveraging elevation differences, the terraces maintain privacy while allowing wind and light to permeate the space.

designed by 1110 Office for Architecture, Necklace House is a dog-friendly villa on Awaji Island

the Bead-Like floor plan by 1110 office for Architecture

Necklace House takes inspiration from a string of beads, with interconnected huts forming a continuous flow throughout the interior. The gradual change in floor heights serves a practical purpose — it helps reduce dogs’ barking at passing cars by positioning the living room higher than car level. This spatial arrangement creates a natural environment where people and dogs can coexist without the need for walls. What’s more, the inclusion of a small take-out restaurant beneath the living room lends community engagement and activates the adjacent parking area.

The exterior of Necklace House features a reddish-brown tone, drawing inspiration from local architectural elements such as glazed roof tiles, painted cedar boards, warehouse steel facades, and bicycle parking lots. This color palette helps the villa harmonize with its surroundings. The architects aimed to create a place where residents can relax while remaining attuned to subtle changes in time and environment.

the villa’s reddish-brown exterior references local architectural elements

the northern part of Awaji Island is undergoing rapid urbanization with new cafés and parks

the courtyard design protects the villa from road noise and neighbors

two terraces are designed for courtyard views and stargazing

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project info:

name: Necklace House

architects: 1110 Office for Architecture
location: Awaji Island, Japan
lead architects: Hiroto Kawaguchi, Antonin Henrard, Kenta Shimamura
engineering, structural consulting: NEN architecture
area: 185 square meters
completion: 2024
photography: © Yohei Sasakura | @yoheisasakura