House with an Inner Balcony｜Custom Home Examples by Architectural Offices9Picks Author: Qurasuki Editorial Department

A balcony is an outdoor space, yet an inner balcony—fashioned to be embraced within the interior of the building—possesses a unique charm. Protected by roofs and walls, a space sheltered in this way becomes a place to spend time with a sensation close to the indoors while feeling outside air and light. Planned continuously with the living room to impart expansiveness to the residence or ensuring openness while mitigating surrounding sightlines, inner balconies shoulder various architectural roles. Moreover, because they are less affected by weather, they see frequent use in daily life. Another characteristic is that they generate spatial experiences distinct from balconies protruding outside the building. In custom homes by architectural firms, we examine real examples to see how this semi-outdoor space connects with the residence and is expressed as a rich living place.

HE10 — AICA Project Example Contest, Excellence Award YIA Ishiue Yoshihiro Architectural Design Office

The site is located on the mid‑slope of Mount Ikoma. It is a flag lot with access from the east; to the west are views of Osaka Bay, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge and the Rokko mountains, and to the north a cluster of cherry trees. The LDK is placed on the second floor to secure elevation and incorporate changing surroundings and vistas. A transparent entrance hall is located in the flagpole access strip, and intersecting stairs guide sightlines, connecting to the LDK through cuts in the ceiling and wall. A deep, L‑shaped, frame‑like balcony establishes continuity from interior to exterior. The ceiling is a modified gable form with exposed ascending rafters.

A Residence Embracing the Cherry Blossom Avenue Archiplace

Located in a quiet, land-readjusted residential neighborhood in Tokyo, this home is designed for a family of four raising young children. While maintaining an appropriate degree of separation from adjacent parents and relatives, the design brings the view of the cherry-tree-lined street into the interior so the occupants can experience the changing seasons up close. An open-plan, single-room LDK is arranged on the second floor, creating a space where the family gathers around a carefully considered kitchen. It connects to a south-facing wood-deck terrace, forming a residence that fosters interpersonal connections while enjoying meals and barbecues.

House in Izumisano Kumi Inoue Architects

House in Saito Aominami ARCHIXXX Satoru Shinno Architectural Design

This home is located in a newly developed new town. To protect privacy from the surrounding houses, the second-floor living/dining/kitchen area, bathroom, and terrace are enclosed by exterior walls, creating an inward-facing configuration reminiscent of a courtyard house. While limiting views from outside, natural light and ventilation are brought in from above, creating a comfortable living environment without a sense of enclosure. The first floor is designed as a pilotis-like driveway, allowing cars to pass through the parking area. Making the most of the site conditions, the home balances ease of living with privacy.

House of Wind - A Residence Where Landscape Is Part of Everyday Life Tokuhiro Norimatsu Architect

This dwelling was realized after careful deliberation beginning with the search for the site. To the north lies the greenery of a park, beyond which the landscape of the Seto Inland Sea unfolds, and the gently changing views have been incorporated into everyday life. By opening generously to the north and limiting fenestration on the south elevation, natural light and breezes are modulated for comfort. A deep terrace gently links interior and exterior, creating a sense of shelter and spatial depth. It is a home where one can spend ordinary daily moments together with a rich landscape.

Uenoshiba Residence Abax Architects

This approximately 40-tsubo residence is situated on a hill in a quiet residential neighborhood. To maximize the westward views, the living and dining area is located on the second floor, admitting abundant light and the landscape into the interior. Wood is used extensively in the interior finishes, creating a warm, tranquil atmosphere. The furniture, including the kitchen, was custom-made and carefully designed to integrate with the space. It is a home where the views and the materiality are in harmony, and a pleasant sense of time flows.

A Home Living with Plants Tatsumi Negishi Architectural Studio

This is a residence for which we assisted beginning with the site selection. The client had long working hours and wanted a timeless space for relaxing with plants in their leisure time. Making use of the site’s characteristics, the living room, a deck for enjoying wine and outdoor meals, and a garden of flowers and greenery were arranged as a continuous spatial sequence, blurring the boundaries. Interior and exterior are unified, creating a home in which plants are an integral part of daily life.

House in Koshigaya Mochizuki Architectural Atelier

The site is a corner lot at the intersection of two streets close to the station; the design responds to both street-faced visibility and privacy considerations. Rather than incorporating the surrounding context, the plan creates an internal courtyard as a residual space within the lot to admit light, ventilation and greenery. Private rooms, storage and wet areas are located on the first floor, with the living, dining and kitchen arranged on the second floor; the ceiling leaves the structural rafters exposed beneath the roof. A Shimatone-riko (Japanese ash) is planted in the courtyard, and, together with the residents’ interiors and a home theater, the individual rooms are interconnected via the courtyard.

House in Haruhino Takayoshi Nakamura Architects & Associates

This home for an outdoors-loving family is located in a residential area surrounded by mid-rise apartment buildings. Taking advantage of the site's highly open conditions, five decks and terraces are arranged as buffer zones between the house and its surroundings. A BBQ terrace, a veranda-like wood deck, and a bath court are among the spaces provided throughout the home, allowing the family to experience greenery, light, and air at close range. It is a home for living in harmony with nature—one where children can spend their time freely, while adults can continue to enjoy it for many years to come.