Introducing HOU (包) — Cork House, a custom-built home example by AS IT IS Co., Ltd., a Construction company in 576 O, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Old and new, warmth and ruggedness, suppleness and coarseness, light and shadow, Japanese and Western. An equilibrium of contrasting elements and the harmonization of disparate materials generate a profound spatial depth, producing a serene interior that feels as if one is within a cave.

A generously proportioned, fabric-like roof unfolds outward from the central pillar, gently enveloping everyday life. The result is an architecture that, while unfamiliar in form, is nonetheless approachable and quietly nostalgic.

The expansive roof that embraces the couple’s living, and the building’s distant resemblance to the traditional portable dwellings used by pastoral peoples (Chinese name: 包 / pào), informed the project’s title: 包 (HOU). Structure and scale: Single-storey timber construction
Total floor area: 78.32 m²