Introducing House of a Potter, a custom-built home example by Tatsumi Negishi Architectural Studio, a Architect / Design office in 532-5 Nakazawa, Hidaka City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

This residence is situated adjacent to a pristine forest at the foothills of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is home to a family of four and also serves as a creative atelier for the husband, a potter, and the wife, an illustrator. The family holds a deep affection for the neighboring verdant forest and expressed a strong desire to design a home that embraces and integrates this natural environment.

Both spouses draw artistic inspiration from the black volcanic scoria and the snow that blankets the landscape. Throughout the planning process, the presence of the forest was a constant consideration, leading to meticulous exploration of spatial relationships and sightlines between the dwelling and the woodland. The living room was conceived as a double-height space with openings oriented toward the forest, fostering an immersive dialogue and a seamless connection with the surrounding nature.

Moreover, to visually and materially extend the forest’s black volcanic soil into the interior, the floor is finished with a dark earthen surface, deliberately blurring the boundary between inside and outside. The building’s exterior massing was kept deliberately low to nestle quietly within the forest, allowing the house to coexist harmoniously and unobtrusively with its natural setting.