Chalet W is a minimal chalet located in Hokkaido, Japan, designed by CASE-REAL for a snowboard enthusiast.

The client is a snowboard enthusiast who annually visits Japan from abroad for a short stay. He wanted to create a chalet where he could spend time with his family during his stay and also relax and socialize with his guests. The property was located in the Niseko area, a renowned ski destination, in the midst of a wooded area surrounded by white birches.

The area is one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Hokkaido and the site had a short side of 10 meters, meaning that the width of the volume would be very small if the building was to have a gabled roof like a chalet, and in turn, only a narrow building with a low ceiling would be possible. On the other hand, the client wanted a form that was not monotonous and box shaped.

As a result, architects were able to create a distinctive interior space that incorporates the sloped surface which serves as the roof outdoors, as well as the ceiling and walls indoors. Two large, deep windows were installed in the sloped area. In addition to the two large bay windows, a small zashiki seating was designed in one repeating sequence.

The owner is also an art collector, thus the walls and ceilings were finished in white, and the flooring and fixtures in a saturated color scheme to create a contrast with the view from the windows and the artworks installed. The exterior walls were made of local cedar stained in light gray, and the roof was made of silver-colored steel sheets. Here we aimed to create an architecture that can blend into the snowy landscape of the white birches