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With this technique, all sorts of beautiful patterns can be created, truly shining when the sun falls on them. In recent years, laminated shoji paper has become more and more popular because it is a lot sturdier than the traditional option. The entrance of a traditional Japanese house consists of three layers, so to speak. First, there’s the tataki, which is the ground floor right behind the entrance door. Nowadays, it generally is made of concrete but in the past, the pounded tataki floor consisted of earth, lime, and bittern. In ancient Japan, ordinary people traveled in a kind of litter (a type of human-powered transport) called a kago, and the tataki floor in front of the entrance was used as a space to set this down.
House in Toyonaka / Fujiwaramuro Architects
Unless the client is sure of the contractor they will hire, we like to be involved to help them vet the contractor. We can usually tell pretty fast if this contractor is really skilled and organized or not. A good local contractor selects and works with the best sub contractors to oversee site preparation, roads, utilities, concrete work and sometime roofing and perhaps any cabinetry we don’t make ourselves. We have no special skills in concrete work, nor in electrical or plumbing, or site preparation. So we try to limit our involvement to those things that require our special skills, equipment or materials. Any task not requiring those things can be done by a skilled local contractor probably as well as we could, only a lot cheaper, and probably faster too.
Incorporate Natural Materials & Textures
Paradero handles daily needs from pet care and child care to household maintenance, freeing up time and energy to focus on personal fulfillment. Creating a space to connect, Paradero Club will have an ongoing music and dining series. "Japandi is more than just design elements; it is a way of living," says Wong and Gunawan. "Supporting a healthy and meaningful lifestyle—prioritizing elements that mean the most to those specific homeowners." We saw a gap in the literature about Japanese architecture that addressed how it was done, so we decided we needed to write a useful book about the process of designing and building a Japanese house. They lived on the floor, without furniture, and without a place to rest one’s back.
Open Sky House – by Yoshitaka Suzuki And Associates
Designed by Yo Shimada, founder of Tato Architects, the house offers an imaginative twist on classic designs. It features a glass base that supports a metal-clad, barn-like volume with a silhouette inspired by traditional gabled architecture. The ground floor contains a kitchen, a dining room, and bike storage space as well as a wooden volume with a guest bathroom. Upstairs, there’s a bedroom and a bathroom with a glass partition, along with storage areas and other facilities. A balcony wrapped around the metal volume shields the glass box below while offering great views of the landscape. Designed by SAI Architectural Design Office, this Japanese modern house has a minimalist exterior with white corrugated walls.
The House for Moriyama – by Ecrit Architects
While it looks like a gabled house from the outside, this home boasts asymmetrical spaces with geometric elements in the interior. Throughout the dwelling, the studio put a focus on establishing a visual connection between different areas, creating a beautiful rhythm of architectural features. Comprising more than 10 volumes, Moriyama House is a minimalist architectural composition that puts a focus on flexibility.

ZenVita is a platform which connects homeowners with designers that are experts in the Japanese aesthetics. Simply browse designs, connect with the architect, and begin the transformation of your space. A single sheer customized curtain beautifully hangs from the ceiling to the floor to create privacy while limiting the amount of natural daylight entering the interior space.
A Belgrade Office That Combines Playfulness + Japanese Design - Design Milk
A Belgrade Office That Combines Playfulness + Japanese Design.
Posted: Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The building is made of stacked concrete masonry blocks that are bevelled at the ends and covered with sizable glass panels that display the location of each room on the exterior. Smooth, neutral-toned plaster covers the inside, which is contrasted by dark wood furniture, wall panels, and flooring. The downside of shoji paper is that it gets damaged easily, making maintenance a bit of a hassle. It’s a rather time-consuming task, so instead of replacing everything, little fixes are possible. The shoji paper is then cut into a decorative shape and carefully glued over the damaged part.
It not only enhances the room with its unique decoration but also helps to keep the space ventilated. Inami City in Toyama Prefecture is particularly famous as a hot spot for these ranma decorations. There are a couple of curious expressions in the Japanese language surrounding these two rails. “To straddle the shikii” means “to frequently come and go,” while “the shikii is high” refers to a place that is awkward to visit.
In this article, the floor plans are according to the tatami mat or kyoma method. Modern Japanese homes often experiment with captivating forms and architectural components, resulting in each home possessing a distinctive and exceptional character. These features not only serve an aesthetic purpose but also offer concealed advantages.
This glaze also strengthens the tiles against drastic temperature changes, which are characteristic for the region. The Japanese government passed a law in 2001 that restricted how deep a home could be. Residential homes do not have basements, but they are present in high-rise buildings. Japanese homes don’t touch the ground due to the country’s high temperatures and humidity. To safeguard against periodic flooding, homes are built off the ground so they won’t incur water damage.

"Paintings and decorations are not often placed on the walls other than between the alcove." Keep walls spare except for something unique. He suggests installing a symbolic ichirin-zashi (single flower insert) or an art panel on a large empty wall. "Symbolically, decorating with your favorite artisan's work may enrich your lifestyle." The serene Japandi design aesthetic, which combines Japanese and Scandinavian styles, is gaining popularity in the US. This peaceful approach to decorating encourages relaxation at home by mixing the cultural ethos of both regions into one technique. However, to fully grasp Japandi, you first comprehend each region's fundamental design elements.
Inside, a covered courtyard has been transformed into a garden with a glass roof that bathes the space in natural light. A suspended wood and metal walkway connects different areas of the house, enhancing the industrial character of the design further. The main living areas have a direct relationship with the garden, while the bedrooms on the upper level benefit from the cocooned feel of the space under the roof. We kick off our list with a gorgeous design from the GOSIZE architecture firm.