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House in Komae

architecture

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What’s up with all the white and natural light? The inconsistency of natural light and its endless shades against a white wall is what makes it so interesting. The House in Komae, Japan, designed by architect Makoto Yamaguchi, is mostly lit by natural light.

The house in Komae received an award of merit in lighting design by the 25th Annual International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) in 2008. The house includes several courtyards, curved walls and a basement. The interior space is almost free of fixtures. The illuminated courtyards and curved walls seem to work as lighting fixtures. They direct the natural light into the interior and deepen the volume of the rooms.

This house can get transformed by the changes in light and the suppression of colour. Sometimes I am suspicious of colour — but not white. Can white be aggressively white?

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