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Houzz Tour: Minimalist 'Nest' House in Japan
Functional architecture, minimalist furnishings and a rootedness in Japanese culture make just the right home for a family of three
This contemporary home in Nagoya, Japan, was nicknamed "The Nest House" by architect Takuya Tsuchida, who wanted to "give the feeling of living in a nest" without feeling tied to a nest's natural form. "I abstracted the nest idea and used it as a starting point for the home's architecture," says Tsuchida.
Houzz at 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 house is in a town that prides itself on its world-famous soba and wasabi farms.
Houzz at 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 house is in a town that prides itself on its world-famous soba and wasabi farms.
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| Tsuchida minimized the cost of soil disposal by using soil displaced by the house as an embankment around the structure. The guiding principles of innovation, simplicity and functionality were more important to the architect than creating what's typically considered a "beautiful" home. Tsuchida says it's not uncommon to live simply on a sliver of land in Japan. "Rice fields belonging to my clients and to their community surround their property, so the plot for their house was limited to land that is thin and long; we just obediently followed it," says Tsuchida. |
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| "My initial instinct was to capture the feeling of the surrounding environment," says Tsuchida, who found plenty of inspiration in Matsumoto's lush landscape. Hills and mountains frequented by hikers and climbers, world-renowned natural spring water and hot springs are nearby. Exterior material: reinforced concrete |
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| Sheltered within the nest's recycled wood chip-board walls is the little dove it works so hard to protect, seen here at play in the living area. The decor of the interior is minimalist modern with industrial touches: Cinder blocks stand in place of a flashy media console, plain bulbs and streamlined pendants hang from the ceiling, and modern furnishings in neutral colors fill the space. |
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| This dining area shows minimalism at its best: walls with an organic pattern, furniture with clean lines, a muted and neutral color palette, and natural light. |
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| A freestanding modular kitchen (right) is parallel to the kitchen island, used for food preparation, for storage and as a workstation. |
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| Tsuchida invited his clients to define their interior spaces and level of privacy through furniture placement. |
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| True to their minimalist spirit, the family opted to have niches instead of floating shelves or visually interruptive bookcases. Floor real estate is devoted to necessary possessions. |
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| Likewise, the master bedroom stays in line with the homeowners' minimalist style. |
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| The tatami sitting room and bedrooms are lower than the level of the space outside them; this is so that all those who come into the rooms have a feeling of entering and leaving the space. |
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The bathroom offers a glimpse into the daily Japanese bathing — and conservation — ritual of thoroughly rinsing the body before entering a soaking tub filled with hot water; the bathwater is meant to remain clean and soap free for the next person to use.
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| A courtyard on the northwest part of the property allows the family access to the outdoors; the area is partly shaded and obscured by the trees surrounding the area. |
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"Architecture is an artificial construct. But even though the structure was designed, the house manages to feel organic in many ways," says Tsuchida. Here, a sunset shot captures how the natural world (rice paddies) and the man-made abstract idea (the house) coexist harmoniously.
Ideabook published on June 4, 2012.
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Also love the modern style Japanese Shoji screen in the bedrooms. Where one has light yet privacy. And I appreciate how they put extra care in fitting in with the rice paddies and natural surrounding.
And photo number six taken at night show how well they did the lighting, which provides excellent light, yet light saving light fixtures. Would love to hear how the architect dealt with earthquake concerns since Japan like here in California is earthquake land.
Am I the only one who gets the creeps when thinking about shared bath water, how clean and un-soapy it may be? It's interesting to learn about these cultural particularities, though.
I love the design, but its materials are not as "natural" as architect's vision.
With the limited lot line of the land they have built a very functional space, reminiscent of the old 'Shot gun' houses I have seen. The interior is filled with unexpected finish details that are more interesting than the cookie cutter pop out houses we see more and more every day.
Thank you Kathy for sharing this. Personally I love it!
Your pieces on Japanese houses are a great resting place from the abundance of "get this, do that" articles (they're great too but lots of us appreciate down time, even on houzz).