How This Japanese Home Connects with Nature Despite the Industrial Urban Environment

Taking inspiration from the saw-tooth roofs, this home in Ichinomiya City, Japan, by Nori Architects has been designed to be bright and connected to nature. The clients requested a light-filled home, moving away from their previously dark and cold traditional Japanese minka home. Nori Architects’ Director, Norihisa Kawashima, found inspiration in the townscape with textile factories and saw-tooth roofs and flipped the orientation to allow the winter sun deep into the home. The house is split into three areas, each offering a different connection to the outside. The home’s interiors feature warm and light plywood, with the white corrugated ceiling carried through from the exterior. Despite being in a dense urban environment, having a connection to nature makes this home a true delight. Witnessing and feeling the seasonal changes throughout the year is a vital element in Japanese homes. Nori Architects have designed a home that allows the owners to feel the beauty of the natural changes.