studio cochi architects' concrete house opens toward the lush landscape of okinawa island

located in okinawa island in japan, ‘house in tamagusuku’ by studio cochi architects is a concrete dwelling that opens toward its lush surroundings. drawing from original okinawan style and culture, the house blurs the boundaries between structure and nature through floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors. the two-volume building is situated on a slope, overlooking the fields and the pacific ocean that extend in front.all images © ooki jingu

‘house in tamagusuku’ is located in okinawa island, at the southernmost of japan, where the subtropical climate has had a big influence on the history and culture of the area. in order to ensure the surrounding natural environment remained intact, studio cochi architects placed the house’s two volumes at different heights on the slope. two large concrete roofs top the volumes, and are put together to connect them and create a series of sheltered open areas in between.

glass doors act as partitions that open and shut according to the seasons, placed at strategic positions inside and outside of the house. the construction incorporates materials such as stone, wood, glass, soil, and polished concrete, almost all of which are finished by human hands. ‘these materials are finished by human hands, which has the power to leave some human touch and bring architecture closer to nature,’ notes the japanese architecture studio.

the main volume of the building encloses the house, where the kitchen, dining and living rooms, and bedrooms can be found. the smaller volume in the northeast is where studio cochi architects’ office is located. the large openings between the volumes make the entire project appear as a successive sequence of spaces visually connected to each other.

project info:

name: house in tamagusuku

architect: studio cochi architects

location: okinawa island, japan