A Small Single-Story House on a Sloped Site｜12mm Architects

This is a small single-story residence with a square floor plan, located in Moriyama Ward, Nagoya City. The site faces a woodland area that feels unexpectedly natural for an urban setting and features a significant elevation change of 1.2 to 5.4 meters descending from the sloped front road. Wrestling with how to address this topographical challenge, the house was designed to fit on a relatively flat intermediate terrace within the slope.

The floor plan and section were developed under the theme “embracing spaciousness within compactness,” focusing on how to create a voluminous spatial experience within a small footprint.

Through several design consultations, the number of partition walls gradually diminished, culminating in a 12-tsubo (approximately 40 square meters) open-plan layout that comfortably accommodates all daily activities. Materials, colors, and forms were carefully selected in close dialogue with the client, incorporating their existing furniture, lighting fixtures, lifestyle, and personal preferences to seamlessly integrate these elements into the architectural expression.

To maximize the advantage of facing the woodland environment, windows were intentionally omitted on the two sides not adjacent to the trees to preserve privacy, while the entire southern façade was opened fully to the exterior. By orienting openings exclusively toward the forest, the residence allows occupants to engage intimately with the changing weather, time of day, and seasons through the natural buffer of trees, resulting in a home blessed with a richly immersive environmental setting.

Building Overview

Location: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Building type: Residential
Structure: Timber construction
Stories: 1 above grade

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