The villa is located in a forest in Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture of Japan. The privately-owned villa is designed to accommodate the owners and their friends in the rich natural environment at a mountain retreat 150 kilometers away from Tokyo.
In order to acquire specific natural scenery and light environment, each living function faces its own desired orientation. Living and dining space faces south-east for a brighter living environment while the master bedroom and bathroom face west offering private scenery of the forest. These compartments are assembled into three interconnected volumes that are placed on site among the pre-existing trees.
In order to form variable cross-section suitable for each function, roofs were designed as a curved surface like gently twisted leaves. A combination of a concave and a convex roof configures from a high ceiling expansive space to an introverted compact room. Every roof has been designed as a Ruled Surface in which straight Laminated Veneer Lumber joists are arranged continuously to form an organic geometry. A series of wooden joists are exposed on the ceiling highlighting the dynamic spatial characters of each living space.
The design process that responds to its environmental context has produced multiple organic roofs and established architecture as an aggregate of diverse living spaces. The appearance of the villa blends in harmoniously with the natural surroundings and is perfectly integrated into the local landscape.
photography by © Norihito Yamauchi
Project Info:
Architects: KIAS
Location: Karuizawa, Japan
Category: Houses
Lead Architects: Kentaro Ishida, Akihito Fujiki
Area: 225.0 m2
Project Year: 2018
Photographs: Norihito Yamauchi
Manufacturers: Catalano, Miele, Riviera, SILESTONE, Zucchetti
Structural Engineer: Building Structure Institute, Tokyo (Kazuyuki Ohara, Shuichi Takahashi)
Construction: Sasazawa Kensetsu
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.