House on Nishinokyo-Hills by Waro Kishi + K.ASSOCIATES/Architects

Located on the outskirts of Nara, Japan, the House on Nishinokyo-Hills by Waro Kishi + K.ASSOCIATES/Architects is a contemporary residence that reinterprets traditional Japanese spatial concepts for modern family living. Completed in 2021, the 154 m² home accommodates a family of three—husband, wife, and child—while integrating privacy, functionality, and architectural elegance.

A façade designed for lifestyle

The street-facing façade is set back to create a generous parking space, wide enough to accommodate the family’s cars and the owner’s collection of motorbikes. While the exterior projects a closed and minimal image, the ground-level hobby area is designed as a transparent, open space with expansive glass openings that celebrate the motorcycles on display.

Ground floor: Courtyard-focused privacy

Shaped in an L-plan, the first floor embraces a private courtyard at the northwest corner, fostering seclusion and intimacy for the family. Each room—the master bedroom to the east, the child’s room, and a Japanese-style room to the south—faces this courtyard. Carefully placed windows ensure each space enjoys independent views of greenery without overlapping sightlines, enhancing both privacy and serenity.

Upper floor: Light, openness, and landscape

In contrast to the enclosed lower level, the second floor living and dining space opens dramatically to the north, framing sweeping horizontal views of the surrounding landscape. A ceiling height of 3.2 meters, amplified by a skylight on the southern wall, brings abundant natural light into the interior. A wooden deck positioned above the master bedroom extends the living space outdoors, creating a fluid transition between interior comfort and exterior openness.

The dual light experience defines the second floor: northern daylight expands the space horizontally, while southern sunlight filters vertically, creating a balanced and uplifting atmosphere. This interplay gives residents the impression of living within a natural environment, even while inside.

Inspiration from Zen architecture

The design draws inspiration from the historical typologies of Zen temple living quarters. Traditionally, temple residences featured a northern garden to observe shifting sunlight and a southern garden of stone compositions expressing light and shadow. Here, Waro Kishi reinterprets these principles—using reflections, diffusions, and skylit brightness to create a living environment infused with gentle illumination.

By merging traditional Japanese spatial philosophy with contemporary urban living, the House on Nishinokyo-Hills becomes both a private sanctuary and an architectural exploration of light, landscape, and lifestyle.

All Photographs are works of Shigeo Ogawa