From a Long Narrow Lot to a Peaceful Modern Home | Minakuchi House

#tinyhouse #homeandgarden #urbanhouse #japanesearchitecture
From a Long Narrow Lot to a Peaceful Modern Home | Minakuchi House

Architects: Hearth Architects
Area: 102 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: Yuta Yamada
Lead Architects: Yoshitaka Kuga
Design Team: Hearth Architects
City: Shiga
Country: Japan

Minakuchi House, designed by Hearth Architects in Shiga, Japan, is a compact residence built on a long and narrow site measuring about seven meters wide and thirty-six meters deep. The design responds to this challenging condition by placing the house along the northern edge of the lot, allowing the southern side to remain open for natural light and ventilation. Organized in a simple linear layout, the 102-square-meter home maximizes spatial efficiency while maintaining a strong visual connection to the outdoors. A small courtyard garden becomes the focal point of the house, where a circular wooden element, natural stones, and greenery create a quiet landscape that can be viewed from the interior like a living artwork, allowing light, shadow, and seasonal changes to become part of the everyday living experience.