Architects: New Material Research Laboratory Area: 313 m² Year: 2022 Photographs: Masatomo Moriyama Lead Architects: Tomoyuki Sakakida, Aki Tsumura Structure Engineers: Masaki Structure Laboratory Limited, Masaki Structural Laboratory Garden Designer: Ueyu Country: Japan
House on a Hill is a contemporary residence in Japan designed by New Material Research Laboratory that responds sensitively to its sloping site and urban context. Organized into two volumes around a central courtyard, the house prioritizes privacy, natural light, and a strong connection to nature by orienting all main spaces inward. The design combines a reinforced concrete base with a refined wooden post-and-beam structure, highlighting craftsmanship through exposed timber, traditional finishes, and carefully selected materials. More than a private home, the project reflects an architectural exploration of how modern living, landscape, and traditional construction techniques can coexist in a calm and restrained spatial experience.
Comments are disabled for this video.
Nestled halfway up a gentle hillside in a quiet residential district of Japan,
House on a Hill redefines the way we perceive privacy and connection to nature in modern living.
Designed by New Material Research Laboratory and completed in 2022,
this 313-square-meter residence embraces its topography with a split-level layout
that responds thoughtfully to the site's 2-meter elevation change.
Instead of conforming to conventional urban housing, the architects crafted a composition
of two distinct volumes, north and south, linked visually and spatially by a serene central
courtyard. At the heart of the design is a desire to cultivate intimacy without isolation.
The house is conceived as a courtyard sanctuary, invisible from the street, where every room frames
a tranquil garden view. Natural light is channeled inward from this green core,
allowing the southern façade to remain intentionally closed,
free of windows. This deliberate restraint not only reinforces privacy, but also evokes a sense
of calm, a quiet architectural gesture that invites reflection and retreat. Materiality
plays a central role in the sensory experience of the home. The residence combines a reinforced
concrete base with a meticulously crafted wooden post-and-beam upper structure. A prominent 10-meter
Tohoku Pine Ridge beam anchors the interior, its surface shaped by traditional Nakuri finishing
techniques. Shinshu larch windows open onto the courtyard, harmonizing with stoneware tiles and
the subtly textured plaster. Outside, antique paving stones and carefully placed garden walls
enrich the tactile landscape, while evergreen and deciduous plantings ensure a dynamic seasonal
presence. Inside, the boundaries between spaces are carefully orchestrated. The living and dining
areas, set at courtyard level, extend seamlessly into the landscape, blurring indoor and outdoor
thresholds. The split-level strategy is further expressed through thoughtful roof proportions.
The low hip and gable massing creates a cohesive interior atmosphere while preserving a human scale.
Exposed rafters and low partition walls reveal the continuity of the wooden framework.
Fostering an environment where structure is not hidden but celebrated.
Beyond material and form, House on a Hill embodies a deeper architectural philosophy,
a reverence for craftsmanship and contextual expression. The project confronts contemporary
challenges in wood construction within urban regulations, advocating for a renewed understanding
of artisanal skill and creative possibility. In doing so, it presents not just a home, but a
discourse on how architecture can honor tradition while enriching the lived experience of space and
place.
