Wooden Sash｜Custom-built homes by architecture firms9Picks｜Warm Materiality

Windows are openings that bring light, breeze and views into the interior, and they are also a design element that strongly shapes a dwelling’s character. Compared with aluminum or uPVC frames, wooden window frames combine a warm, tactile material quality with superior thermal performance, and have long been employed in Northern European and Western residential traditions. The wood’s expression, which gains depth with the passage of time, imparts a richness of time to the home. At the same time, it is important to choose them with an understanding that periodic repainting and maintenance are required. Architectural practices plan openings that harmonize with the overall concept of the building by comprehensively assessing the performance, design and maintainability of wooden frames. Here we present examples of homes that embody a conscientious commitment to materiality.

Retaining the stone wall that embodies the memory of the town intact, this residence is constructed of reinforced concrete. Through two small courtyards it adroitly admits light and breezes while screening views from the exterior to ensure a high degree of privacy. By employing materials with a soft tactile quality, the dwelling composes calm, gentle interior spaces within a robust structural envelope.

This residence is situated in a calm residential area near Hikone Castle. Although it faces a busy road, a configuration alternating large and small building volumes with courtyards was adopted to realize a quiet, enriched way of life. The “alley” that runs through these elements is not merely a circulation route; it gently connects with the living spaces and courtyards, bringing depth and variation to the spatial composition. Sightlines, wind, and light pass between the buildings and courtyards, creating a variety of places to inhabit within a serene stillness. A succession of sloped ceilings clad in bamboo translates the roof’s articulated expression into the interior, and the soft tactile quality of natural materials envelops the entire residence.

The site is situated on a hill overlooking the city of Yokohama. The first floor accommodates a dining area opening onto a deck that leads to the garden, a carpeted corner living area, a piano alcove integrated into the stair space, and the sanitary/wet service areas. The second floor, connected by a double-height void, contains a bedroom and a child’s room with distant views of Mount Fuji. The interior palette comprises white-painted walls and pale-toned carpeting, with teak and lauan used for the woodwork, resulting in a crisp yet softly modern finish.

Responding to a site enclosed by residences on all sides, this dwelling brings light and greenery into a U‑shaped courtyard at its heart. Employing an east‑facing garden strategy to capture morning light from the east while securing daylighting from the south, the design achieves a sense of openness that belies its total floor area of 26 tsubo (approximately 86 m²). A deck level with the living room provides a pleasant, outward extension of the living space. Trees such as Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and olive animate the seasons, completing a home in which the family can peacefully spend the years together.

A residence for three generations—a family of five—located in the hilly and upland interior of Hiroshima Prefecture, where gentle mountains and pastoral fields spread. In the garden is a large weeping cherry that, as a regional symbol, is loved by the family and neighbors; in the cherry season acquaintances and friends visit for viewing, hold banquets and stay overnight. How to incorporate, harmonize with, and pass on this cherry—which has witnessed the family's growth and life, connected people, and lived with the town's changes—into the new home became a major theme.

This house in Toda City, Saitama Prefecture responds to an environment of surrounding factories, warehouses, and heavy traffic by adopting a closed composition toward the street. An internal courtyard brings in daylight and natural ventilation while maintaining separation from the exterior, creating a calm residential environment. By engaging with its context, the dwelling produces a rich, inward‑focused living realm.

Located on a flag lot a five-minute walk from the beach in Shonan–Kugenuma, this residence is for a couple and one child. Although originally planned as a two‑storey house, it was proposed as a small single‑story dwelling to prioritize a lifestyle that comfortably connects with the abundant natural surroundings. On the south side, the living room is equipped with large operable timber doors to draw the southerly breeze into the interior. Particular attention was paid to materials—solid Japanese chestnut flooring and a bathroom clad in Towada stone—while finishes were kept restrained to balance costs. The home provides a variety of everyday places, including a raised tatami platform and underfloor storage.

Approximately one hour from Tokyo, this residence is situated on a generous, verdant suburban site. Designed by a German–Japanese couple as their new home for the post‑retirement phase, the project integrates the garden and house while preserving existing mature trees so that each window frames a distinct view. The main house is a simple single‑story pavilion that opens broadly to the garden; deep eaves and a terrace create a gentle transition between interior and exterior. The program also includes a dedicated garage for restoring classic BMWs, providing a base for hobbies and social exchange.

A residence planned around a central courtyard, designed to be lived in harmony with nature. The layout ensures the presence of the signature tree can be perceived from any point within the house, and the greenery unfolding beyond the windows adds a tranquil accent to daily life. The garden views, which present different expressions depending on the vantage point, change with the passage of seasons and time, imparting a rich sense of depth to the dwelling. Within spaces where interior and exterior are gently connected, this is a quiet, comfortable home in which the nuances of the four seasons can be experienced close at hand.