arbol design brings privacy and sunlight to house in nishimikuni

arbol design brings privacy and sunlight to house in nishimikuni
all images courtesy of arbol design

arbol design has architected a quaint, one-storey house for an elderly couple in the center of osaka, japan. as requested by the clients, privacy was a main concern for the project because the site is surrounded by multilevel condominiums and apartments. in order to fulfill these needs, the entire residence is enclosed by a high wall of vertically-oriented cedar planks that block views of the interior spaces. as inhabitants enter through a hidden door covered by the overhang of the driveway, they are confronted by an s-shaped garden that traverses the entire design to provide sunlight through large spans of glazing, which allows them to interact with natural foliage anywhere within the comfort of the isolated property. continuing the exterior material aesthetic, the same wood creates the walking surface of the home as a warm complement to the neutral-colored straw mats of the traditional tatami room and light beige walls that line the rest of the open floor plan.

the entry door is hidden, as it is covered by the same cedar planks that line the rest of the exterior

the living room is constantly in contact with nature and sunlight

a corridor cuts off the circulation of the gravel garden to connect the front of the house with the rear

the tatami room is a traditional japanese room meant to be enjoyed with special guests

view of the tatami room towards the living room

the living room at night with a detail of the planks on the right beginning to separate and let light in during the day

the property lit up at night

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.