CASE-REAL blends 'chalet W' into the wooded landscape of japan's niseko ski resort

located in japan’s niseko area, a renowned ski destination, ‘chalet W’ by CASE-REAL is designed for a snowboard enthusiast who annually visits the country from abroad for a short stay. the property blends into the wooded landscape of white birches with an exterior made of local cedar stained in light gray. the building is topped with a moderate combination of flat and sloped roofs in order to secure the maximum floor space possible for the site and minimize the distance of falling snow (the distance from the neighboring land that must be secured based on the slope and height of the roof).all images by daisuke shima

CASE-REAL developed the project according to the client’s wish for a chalet where he could spend time with his family during his stay and also relax and socialize with his guests. his requests included the maximum floor space possible for the site, a seating area for guests to relax, and an open living and dining area with a window looking out at the symbolic mt yotei.

‘the first issue in the planning process was the form, the volume of the building,’ explains the japanese architecture studio. ‘the area is one of the heaviest snowfall areas in hokkaido, and we had to comply strictly with the regulations on the distance of falling snow (the distance from the neighboring land that must be secured based on the slope and height of the roof). however, the site had a short side of ten meters, meaning that the width of the volume would be very small if the building was to have a gabled roof like a chalet, and in turn, only a narrow building with a low ceiling would be possible.’

since the client wanted a form that was not monotonous and box shaped, CASE-REAL decided to create a volume that incorporates a combination of flat and sloped roofs made of silver-colored steel sheets. as a result, the project benefits from a distinctive interior space that incorporates the sloped surface which serves as the roof outdoors, as well as the ceiling and walls indoors. two large, deep windows in the sloped area offer views of mt yotei.

in addition to the two large bay windows, a small ‘zashiki’ seating was designed in one repeating sequence, creating a calm space without disturbing the openness of the entire second floor. this floor serves as the living and dining area, and is complete with white walls and a saturated color scheme on the floor and fixtures. this palette creates a contrast with the view from the windows and the client’s artworks, who is also an art collector.