Minimalissimo

House for a Photographer

architecture

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House for a Photographer is a home and studio designed by Japanese firm FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects. The home, located in Shiga, Japan, is situated on a country road surrounded by traditional Japanese structures.

The most resounding feature of this house is the corrugated steel that envelopes the entire façade of the upper story. The steel is both an aesthetic choice and a practical one: the opaque material maximises privacy on the street side of the home. Despite its modern qualities, the muted colours and overall form of the structure mesh well with the other buildings on the street. House for a Photographer is unique but not out of place.

The interior is comprised of a large, open room on the ground floor and a bedroom upstairs. Rather than separating the photographer's studio and living space, the two functions sit in tandem in this residence. The multi-purpose rooms draw parallels to traditional Japanese living, where one room is often used as the sleeping, dining, and living space.

The finish materials are extremely simple here: polished concrete floors, white walls, and a few wood accents. Light, being a crucial part of photography, is carefully considered. Skylights cast dramatic shadows in the space, while larger windows allow rooms to be fully illuminated by natural light. The interior is decorated creatively, with vintage furniture, musical instruments, and selective artworks casually laid against the walls.

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