T House by FATHOM: Harmonizing Greenery, Texture, and Urban Living in Hiroshima

Located in Hiroshima, Japan, T House is a masterful renovation by FATHOM that transforms a newly built condominium into a serene, luxurious living environment. With a compact area of 50 m², this 2024 project reimagines the possibilities of urban residential spaces, blending natural materials, upcycled finishes, and intimate greenery to create a home that feels expansive, warm, and refined.

Revitalizing a Newly Built Condominium

When commissioned to renovate this contemporary condominium for sale, the architects faced a common challenge: the space was fully habitable, yet furnished with generic, mass-produced items. While the location offered security, convenience, and stunning views, the interiors lacked a cohesive sense of luxury. The design team saw an opportunity to reframe what “luxury” could mean: through thoughtful materials, textures, and spatial experience.

Through in-depth consultations, FATHOM centered the renovation around two key design axes: upcycled oyster shell paint and integrated indoor greenery. These elements became the unifying themes that guided every design decision, from finishes to furniture integration.

Oyster Shell Paint: Subtle Luxury in Every Detail

A standout feature of T House is its walls, uniformly coated in delicate oyster shell paint. With a texture finer than ricin grains, this unique finish softens the edges of walls and wooden frames, harmonizing the existing sashes and concealing their industrial origins. The lauan wood grain was carefully selected and stained to complement the shell paint, creating a tactile, serene backdrop throughout the home.

The result is a space where every detail, from baseboards to window frames, is meticulously curated, transforming standard condominium features into a unified and luxurious environment.

Greenery as Architecture: Experiencing Nature Indoors

Instead of simply placing potted plants, FATHOM designed the greenery to become an interactive element of the home. Positioned between the study and dining areas, the plants form a soft organic partition, integrating the floor, pots, and dining bench.

The dining bench itself doubles as a sculptural architectural device. Using the same micro-cement material as the floor, its trapezoidal bowl-shaped backrest allows residents to sit beneath the lush canopy of leaves, evoking the sensation of resting under a tree bathed in sunlight. This creates a rare indoor experience, connecting residents to nature while floating above the urban landscape.

Even the ceiling design reinforces this interaction with nature. By exposing the dismantled ceiling beams and adding mirrored surfaces, reflections of daily life are projected onto the concrete above, subtly enhancing the sense of openness and light.

Crafting a Holistic, Experiential Interior

Every element in T House is conceived to provide a refined living experience. Existing fixtures were retained for functionality but carefully integrated with new wood and stone finishes, blending the old and new seamlessly. The combination of natural textures, ambient light, and living greenery fosters a calm, luxurious atmosphere, demonstrating how even compact urban spaces can offer an elevated, experiential lifestyle.

T House by FATHOM stands as a testament to thoughtful renovation, where sustainability, material authenticity, and innovative design converge to redefine contemporary urban living.

All photographs are works of  Tatsuya Tabii