kengo kuma's staggered house units climb a mountainside in japan

kengo kuma stacks small units for a residential complex in japan

Along a mountain slope in Japan, Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA) staggered individual house units to compose a residential cluster. Overlooking Sapporo city, the multi-unit complex is nestled into the hillside, making the most of the sweeping vistas, all the while blending seamlessly with the natural topography surrounding it.

Instead of adopting the typical residential large box tower format, the renowned architect opted to spread the functions in a horizontal layout, introducing stacked human-scaled units as part of a large villa. Each unit is strategically placed to generate generous open-air space between adjacent units. This allows abundant natural light to enter all the residences and clear panoramas of the surrounding landscape to permeate the interior spaces. Locally sourced logs clad the exterior and retaining walls, while in an attempt to combine wood and concrete, the team employed log panels with rough bark as stay-in-place formwork for concrete.

all images ©︎ Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office

the interiors celebrate the spectacular scenery & natural light

The deliberately distributed layout integrates flawlessly into the surrounding natural terrain, welcoming generous outdoor private spaces to each of the units. When it comes to the interior, the architects at Kengo Kuma and Associates sought to create spacious and welcoming domestic environments equipped with all amenities a full-fledged home needs. The complex consists of more than 15 individual homes and each of the properties include large sleeping areas, ensuite bathrooms with a sauna, and kitchens supplied with modern appliances. Thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, the interiors enjoy the benefits of nature and sunlight, thus delivering well-lit and ample living spaces. Access to each unit is achieved by a central outdoor staircase, from which residents can easily reach their property on the left or right side. 

the house units are perched on the hillside, becoming an integral part of the topography

large sliding doors let ample daylight enter the houses

each of the units makes the most of the spectacular panoramas

they are strategically set up to provide unobstructed views

a central outdoor staircase leads the users to their property

locally sourced trunks adorn the exterior of the structures

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project info:

name: Prostyle Sapporo Miyanomori

architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA) | @kkaa_official

team: Hiroaki Akiyama, Akio Saruta, Kyoko Mase, Tomohiro Matsunaga, Tsuyoshi Kanda*, Lee Li Cheng*, Makoto Shirahama*
construction: Sunago Gumi
cooperation: Kanebako Structural Engineers

area: 4,988 sqm

location: Hokkaido, Japan
photography: ©︎Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office