ginga architects builds concrete house on top of a retaining wall in japan

japanese practice, ginga architects, has completed the design of a house on a small site in sendai city. the building is situated on a retaining wall and benefits from an elevated position within the city, gaining impressive views to the south-westerly direction. the resulting home is a compact design, which uses planes of glass and concrete to frame views of the rooftops below.

all images courtesy of ginga architects

the house has been designed by ginga so as not to interfere with the existing retaining wall. the architect decided to base the plan on a simple square shape. from this initial square, the final form was created by cutting into the volume according to the surrounding views. the roof of one side is also hung diagonally to gain the optimum aspect. the building was constructed with a semi-outdoor terrace and entrance porch with a slight cantilever.

with the newly constructed house, the existing retaining wall appears as if it is the foundation of the building, designed to fit the newly constructed upper part. the resulting structure gives the impression of having been there all along, while providing a simple and minimal interior for the residents. levels are used inside to step down to the large balcony with the huge panorama of the city. the interior design utilizes a minimal palette of materials – concrete, wood and glass – to create a simple yet inviting home.

project info:

project name: ‘living on the retaining wall’

project location: sendai city, japan

architect: ginga architects

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.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom