The Cloister Home, This is a renovation project for a 44-year-old apartment. The owner is an enthusiast of weaving wooden basket bags. The owner’s requests were to have an earthen floor space that could be used as a studio, to enjoy the views of the river and cityscape from the windows, and to optimize the living space compactly.
© Kentaro Yoshida
To achieve this, we arranged the core living area in a box-like shape at an angle, with the bathroom, bed, closets, etc., centralized in the middle. Gaps were left between the existing concrete walls and the core space. These gaps create a trapezoidal floor plan that allows the space to flexibly expand and contract, forming a continuous cloister wrapping around. This enables enjoying the outdoor scenery from any spot in the house and feeling the nature and climate changes.
© Kentaro Yoshida
Instead of compartmentalizing the space by functions, we freely placed furniture to utilize the original spatial features, reading at sunlit spots and experiencing different living state gradients. The aim was to create a living space to feel the seasonal and landscape transformations.
Project Info
Architects: NoMaDoS
Country: Japan, Morioka
Area: 68 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Kentaro Yoshida
Equipment Design: NoMaDoS, Ryosuke Takahashi
Lighting Designer: Yasuyoshi Iwakabe
Construction: EIKOU Corporation
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.