On the heels of a mixed-use building project of theirs we previously covered, Japanese architecture studio Airhouse is back with House in Seto, a family dwelling in Japan’s Aichi prefecture.

The home is built on a hilly slope, and to take advantage of its elevated position the architects inverted the typical layout of the home’s private and public spaces. With the bedrooms and baths appointed to the ground floor, the second level living, kitchen and dining area is bathed in natural light and spoiled with forest views via generous floor-to-ceiling windows, three roomy balconies, a skylight and high ceilings. 

But what makes House in Seto particularly unique is its atypical floor plan. Installed along the four corners of each level are small pillar-like boxes, serving their specific purposes as pantries, storage and utility units, a study and a washroom. The surprising presence of these partitions, along with the staircase that pierces through the center of the home, are intriguing additions that make House in Seto a dynamic and structurally interesting space to behold. Follow the studio on Instagram.

Photography © Toshiyuki Yano for Airhouse