Homes for Design Enthusiasts｜Custom-built homes by architecture firms9Picks｜A Home Infused with Aesthetic Sensibility

When a client with a deep interest in design commissions a house, the dwelling itself can become a singular work of art. From furniture selection and material pairings to lighting strategies and the resolution of detailing, an aesthetic sensibility toward design is exercised in every aspect of the home. In collaboration with an architectural practice, the client's stylistic preferences—whether modern, organic, editorial, or otherwise—are carefully interpreted, allowing the space to be articulated in a consistent design language from architectural composition to the minutiae of interior finishes. We present residences suffused with bespoke design qualities that cannot be obtained from off-the-shelf products.

This two‑family residence respects each household’s privacy while providing a tranquil living environment. A home elevator provides vertical access, with the parent household located on the third floor and the dual‑income child household occupying the first and second floors. Each household’s living–dining–kitchen (LDK) is positioned at the south‑facing corner to maximize year‑round daylight and a sense of openness. The layout maintains an appropriate degree of separation for comfortable living and, by assigning purposeful functions to exterior spaces, also encourages engagement with the surrounding neighborhood.

This is a fully separated two-family residence with high thermal insulation, engineered to seismic Grade 3 performance and augmented by a seismic-damping system. Because the surrounding context does not offer favourable views, the design adopts a courtyard-house typology; the street-facing volume is kept low to respect the streetscape, while inclined walls articulate the building’s relationship with the neighbourhood. A permeable circulation strategy, differentiated floor levels and deliberately controlled ceiling heights by function, together with the use of natural materials, produce a variety of spatial configurations while ensuring daylighting and natural ventilation.

A newly built three-story house for a young, dual-income couple and two children. An eave is projected to the full extent of the site; to avoid diagonal plane restrictions the building volume is partially notched, outdoor air-conditioning units are located on the upper floors, and the area beneath the eaves is opened around the perimeter. The design provides five rooms, generous storage, a built-in garage and an elevator, and incorporates an approach, front garden, circulation corridors, a compact courtyard (tsuboniwa) and bicycle parking. The notches on the second and third floors create gaps that enhance cross-ventilation and mitigate a sense of enclosure. The plan features a longitudinal north–south living/dining/kitchen (LDK) and a south-facing stairwell with a three-story atrium.

At first glance, Shift Block’s exterior does not read as a timber structure; the design makes the second floor appear slightly tilted and perched above the ground floor. A tatami-floored Japanese-style room is oriented toward a private garden enclosed by walls. A diagonal staircase mediates vertical circulation, so that movement between levels alters sightlines and the perception of space, offering a spatially dynamic, three‑dimensional living experience.

This residence, which incorporates an attached design atelier, employs thick timber cladding on the exterior finished in white, and maintains a reduced overall height to harmonize with the surroundings. Changes in floor levels and ceiling heights articulate the atelier, private zones, and communal areas while maintaining spatial continuity. A loft, roof balcony, multiple access points, and generous landscaping create a strong interior–exterior relationship and sense of extension. The staircase is treated as a key element of spatial composition and is expressed through a variety of configurations.

Located in a residential neighborhood of Asahi Ward, Osaka, the house occupies a site that faces neighboring properties on all sides except the street frontage. With houses also lining the opposite side of the road, the design intentionally omits openings on the primary elevation. The exterior is clad in black Galvalume steel sheeting, executed in a long-run single-seam profile. Viewed through a steel sliding entrance door, the interior—centred on larch plywood—presents a contrasting palette, its character animated by varying expressions of natural light.

The first floor is designated for commercial tenancy and the second floor for residential use. A spacious living room with an adjoining, expansive terrace is conceived as an outdoor living area. At the client’s suggestion, the large open volume is realized through the use of distinctive materials.