A house in Japan by Atelier Kento Eto is clad entirely in black corrugated metal with sliding doors that reveal a double-height hall with white walls.
Given its simplistic cube form and black corrugated iron exteriors, one would find the Kadokawa House in Higashi, Japan rather imposing and monotonous, which couldn’t be any further from the truth. Once inside, a labyrinth of carefully-studied architectural elements dominate the 64 square meter (689 square feet) home, dividing and uniting various areas with each other in the most intriguing ways.
Taking into consideration its clients’ social disposition, Atelier Kenta Eto designed a home that could easily accommodate their guests. An 8-meter-long hall with double-height ceilings was created and designated as the home’s center, straddled by two sliding doors at both ends leading to the exteriors. Branching off the central aisles are the living, dining and kitchen areas, as well as the bedrooms. A staircase leads to the loft-like second floor where we find suspended passages soaring over the central hall, linking the east and west wings together and banishing any expectations of architectural monotony. The minimalist furnishings, plain white walls and generous openings enhance the home’s luminosity and spaciousness.
