A House in KOYAMA, 2007

This peculiar and beautiful facade captivates my attention. I don’t know how to put it in words… just love this subtle but superlative oddness.

Kyoto-based architect Dai Nagasaka is still considered young as an architect but is also a seasoned veteran whom I haven’t met yet. And judging from what he has done in the past decade, the architect is no show-off, a calm thinker who can weave past and future together in a highly sophisticated and slightly unexpected manner. (He is also an amazing photographer who takes images that rekindle my Japanese soul.)

This house called “A House in KOYAMA” sits on the Kamo River (賀茂川) in Kyoto with large trees along the riverbank.

The top half portion of the facade, which looks like being wedged out from above helps to keep the privacy from the street in front of the house but still keeps the open view of the sky and trees along the riverbank.

The other side of this unique wedge-shape fence is tiled with green stones, and it is designed the rain water to run the sloped surface. This was purposely done for the client who likes rain and enjoy the subtleness of the weather.