airhouse incorporates nature into this house in takao, japan, via exterior + interior terraces

airhouse design office has built a house in takaocho, hachioji city, japan, incorporating nature in the daily lives of its residents through a series of exterior and interior terraces. benefiting from a view of the takao mountains, the house is designed to embrace the surrounding scenery, natural light, trees and greenery, which slowly reach the inside through a front terrace with a glass roof, followed by an inner terrace and a five-meter-high sliding glass door that loosely defines the boundary with the outside.

all images by toshiyuki yano

through the sequence of terraces, airhouse has managed to let natural light and greenery slowly reach the interior, allowing residents to feel the surrounding exterior landscape even if they are sitting inside. in total, the house incorporates four terraces: two open terraces, one at the front and one at the back; and two inner terraces, one at the beginning and one at the end of the central atrium space. at the same time, opening the five-meter-high sliding door will dissolve any boundaries between the outside and in, letting wind pass through the building freely.

inside, the house is built around a central atrium space which includes the kitchen and living room, while all other functions are located on the four volumes surrounding it. each of the four volumes is connected by a bridge, which crosses through the atrium space, and each room is also accessed through the living room.

project info:

name: house in takao

architect: airhouse

structure: ohno japan

contractor: eishin kensetsu

location: takaocho, hachioji city, tokyo, japan