Windows

In the primary bedroom, a Woodsport bed is joined by a Noguchi pendant.

The open doorway that separates the main living area from the kitchen used to be the entrance to the house. Back then, you had to go outdoors to access the open-air kitchen and bathroom.

Windows and glazing were one of the largest overall costs, setting Geo and Zoe back €10,306.

“The warmth of the plants and trees is felt in the home,” the homeowners share. The garden includes a tall Iroha maple tree (left), an evergreen Horutonoki tree (right), along with moss and ferns at the base.

Opposite the optical glass facade, the slant of the northern facade is the result of Tokyo urban planning requirements. A constant gradient diagonal line restriction dictated that the home’s mass recede diagonally away from the northern property line, to ensure adequate light and ventilation for the neighboring property—a policy not uncommon in lower-density residential areas of Tokyo.

"The effect of the plantings on the terrace is enormous,” reflects the couple. “Not only do the branches and formations give a sense of the four seasons, but the way it looks from the living room contributes to a sense of calmness. It gives the illusion that we are viewing art."

László Moholy-Nagy

A subdued palette and sumptuous curves help to showcase an epic city view.

The couple approached Darren Bray of Lymington-based PAD Studio with a proposal to consolidate and weatherproof the building, while at the same time preserving its original brickwork. "We had in mind a new entrance that would make a good, strong impression," says owner Sheryl Wilson. Architect Darren Bray peeled back the layers of the previous owners' decor to allow the brickwork to breathe.

Details like a plywood staircase and pine flooring lend the home extra warmth. A Splügen Bräu Flos pendant adds a touch of shine to the dining room.

The garden feels almost like an extension of the studio, especially when the sliding doors are opened up. “The design concept was centered around the native garden and the room with a set of glass doors that seamlessly opened up to it,” Wakoko explains.

A metal layer painted in bright orange separates the home’s lower concrete level from the upper structure, made of cross-laminated timber and clad in Dual Black IKO Cambridge shingles. On the ground floor, a terrace extends from the living area via walls of Habitat by Cebrace windows. Orange metal stilts make the trapezoidal structure look as if it’s floating.