Every corner of this minimalist Japanese home was designed around art

This minimalist house in Japan features an elegant floor plan that unfolds like a museum. Designed for an art aficionado and amateur artist, the house features seamless spatial transitions that accentuate the art collection.

Japanese architecture firm Ryumei Fujiki + Yukiko Sato / F.A.D.S designed the house as a cluster of interconnected cubes that accommodate gallery-like spaces, living areas and a studio accessible from a courtyard.The architects collaborated with the owner to determine the proportion of each room in accordance with the art collection to be displayed. Even the height of the living room ceiling is based on the optimal wall size for a painting measuring over 1.5 x 1 meters. In addition to the artwork, the client wanted to display his collection of old jazz records.

Since the house is located in a region dominated by harsh, snowy climate, the architects needed to address the issue of snowfall. They ultimately opted for a flat roof without a parapet which would stay snow-free thanks to strong winds. In order to enable natural ventilation, the team looked to traditional methods used in designing old Kyoto townhouses and introduced two garden areas on two opposite sides that would have different temperatures.