Minimalist 'Nest' House in Japan
This contemporary home in Nagoya, Japan, was nicknamed “The Nest House” by architect Takuya Tsuchida, who wanted to “provide the sensation of living in a nest” without feeling tied to a nest’s natural shape. “I abstracted the nest idea and used it as a starting point for the home’s architecture,” says Tsuchida.
in a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young child
Location: Matsumoto City, Nagano, Japan
Size: 1,050 square feet
That’s interesting: The home is in a town that prides itself on its world-famous soba and wasabi farms.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
Tsuchida minimized the expense of dirt disposal by using dirt displaced by the home as an embankment around the construction. The guiding principles of innovation, simplicity and performance were more significant to the architect compared to creating what is typically regarded as a “beautiful” home.
Tsuchida says it is not unusual to live only on a sliver of property in Japan. “Rice areas belonging to my own clients and to their community encircle their property, so the plot to get their home was limited to property that’s thin and long; people only obediently followed,” says Tsuchida.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
“My initial instinct was to capture the sensation of the surrounding environment,” says Tsuchida, that found plenty of inspiration in Matsumoto’s lush landscape. Hills and hills frequented by hikers and climbers, world-renowned natural spring water and hot springs are all nearby.
Exterior material: reinforced concrete
no.555 一級建築士事務所
Sheltered within the nest’s Engineered wood chip-board walls would be the small dove it works so difficult to shield, seen here at play in the living room. The decoration of the interior is minimalist contemporary with industrial touches: Cinder blocks stand in place of a flashy media console, plain bulbs and streamlined pendants hang from the ceiling, along with contemporary furnishings in neutral colours fill the room.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
This dining room reveals minimalism at its finest: walls with an organic pattern, furniture with clean lines, a muted and neutral colour palette, and natural light.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
A freestanding modular kitchen (right) is parallel to the kitchen island, used for food prep, for storage and as a workstation.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
Tsuchida encouraged his clients to specify their inner spaces and level of solitude through furniture positioning.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
True for their minimalist spirit, the family opted to have niches instead of floating shelves or visually interruptive bookcases. Floors real estate is dedicated to properties that are necessary.
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Likewise, the master bedroom remains in line with the homeowners’ minimalist style.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
The tatami sitting area and bedrooms are somewhat lower compared to the level of this space outside them; this can be indeed that all those who encounter the rooms possess a sense of entering and leaving the space.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
The bathroom offers a glimpse into the daily Japanese bathing and relaxation — ritual of completely rinsing the body prior to entering a soaking tub full of hot water; the bathwater is supposed to stay soap and clean free for the next person to use.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
A courtyard on the northwest portion of this house enables the family access to the outside; the place is partly shaded and obscured by the trees surrounding the area.
no.555 一級建築士事務所
“Architecture is an artificial construct. But even though the arrangement was designed, the home manages to feel organic in lots of ways,” says Tsuchida. Here, a sunset shot captures how the natural universe (rice paddies) and also the man-made abstract idea (the home) coexist harmoniously.