Glass Wall
Residential House for Arks Design Studio
The Glass Wall was built in March 2022 in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. This house is located on a hill and the height difference of the land is well utilized to ensure privacy and even lighting. A reinforced concrete structure with high earthquake resistance is adopted, and a glass wall is arranged for a part of it. The living room is an open ceiling and is designed to integrate widely opened space in living room and the courtyard. The second floor of the house offers a view of Himeji Castle, a World Heritage site.
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Glass Wall by Atsushi Hio
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Residential House by Atsushi Hio
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Atsushi Hio Glass Wall
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Atsushi Hio Residential House
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Glass Wall Residential House Press Releases
Press releases for Glass Wall are now accessible in these languages: English.
Glass Wall Residential House Media Articles
Our Glass Wall articles are prepped and available in these languages: Korean, Japanese, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, English, German, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Italian, Hindi and Indonesian, ready for your use.
Unique Properties
The client desired a space that secures privacy and makes good use of the difference in elevation of the land. For this reason a reinforced concrete structure was adopted which allows to keep large interior space and is highly earthquake resistant in Japan, a country prone to frequent earthquakes. The front of the building has three box shapes arranged at different heights to avoid a monotonous design. A glass wall is placed in one section. The interior of the glass wall is an atrium space that emits a fantastic light. The lighting fixtures are the icon of the building.
Tags
Glass, Design, Architect, Interior, House, Castle
Production Technology
To maximize interior space and ensure the strength against earthquakes which occur often in Japan, reinforced concrete structures are used. The front appearance of the house is separated into three box shapes to avoid a monotonous design. Part of it has a glass wall In addition the wood grain of the cedar board is transferred to the concrete wall so that it does not look cold.
Design Challenge
While designing building plans exteriors and interiors we are considering a space design with light and shadow using natural lighting and artificial illuminance. They are affected by the time of day and the weather but the expression also changes depending on the material and color of the space. In this design walnut natural wood boards for the walls are used in the rooms but the walnut walls absorb more light than expected so expected brightness is not obtained. But the problem was solved by increasing the illuminance and adding new lighting equipment.
Project Duration
Built in Himeji, Japan in 2022
Operation Flow
We examined how the difference in elevation of the land affected the design and everyday life including how to utilize effective space and ensure privacy. We devised ideas to make the interior as comfortable as possible for the client by eliminating as many steps as possible.
Research
An important aspect of the design of this house is the use of large glass openings in the living room, which has a high atrium, because the house is located on a hill, which allows for privacy from the outside. By researching how light enters each season in the planned site, the living room was designed to be lit with sunlight all year round, to achieve both design and ecology and to improve performance.
Inspiration
The planned site is a quiet luxury residential area. The surrounding housing complex is about 50 years old and has an old atmosphere. Uniquely designed houses will be odd in this area so harmonizing design with surrounding old houses and rich atmosphere is challenging and a priority. Also this location is on the hill where Himeji Castle World Heritage Site can be seen and the beautiful scenery is wide open in front of the site. So luxury but rustic appearance brings harmony and modern lifestyle but nature inspired inside design brings comfort.
Image Credits
Photographer Senichiro Nogami
Project Overview
Glass Wall Residential House has been a Silver winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2022 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Atsushi Hio was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2023, a testament to excellence of their work Glass Wall Residential House.
Atsushi Hio Press Releases
Discover Atsushi Hio's journey through our press releases, available for all press members and journalists to use without restrictions. 1 press releases are now available for immediate access by journalists.
Glass Wall: A Modern Residential Design with a Rustic Twist
Atsushi Hio Unveils Glass Wall, a Reinforced Concrete Residential House in Himeji, Japan
Atsushi Hio Newsroom
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