House on a Hill by FORM | Architects Kouichi Kimura in Japan

Project: House on a Hill
Architects: FORM | Kouichi Kimura Architects
Location: Japan
Area: 2,497 sq ft
Year: 2022
Photography: Norihito Yamauchi

House on a Hill by FORM | Architects Kouichi Kimura in Japan

The architectural studio FORM | Kouichi Kimura Architects designed a new house on the top of a hill at the foot of a mountain. Called the House on a Hill, this modern house offers just under 2500 square feet of living space. Its elevated position provides beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

The house is built on the summit of a hill formed during land use at the foot of the mountain. The plot covers around 830 m2 and is located in a spot with fantastic panoramic views of nearby mountains. A path resembling a forest trail branches off from the road at the foot of the hill and leads to the entrance of the house.

The client requested an unusual element in everyday life, fully utilizing its location. We planned a courtyard house oriented towards the open view of the mountains as part of the landscape. The building consists of a horizontally elongated form and a wall surrounding the courtyard. The height of the wall is calculated so that from rooms one can see majestic mountain ranges. It was designed to integrate into the surrounding landscape, creating a beautiful silhouette and becoming part of a new landscape, enhancing its aesthetic value.

The gravel courtyard, without plants, is designed as an empty space. With the landscape background serving as a borrowed view, it creates a sense of expanded peaceful space. To achieve uniqueness, a place under the eaves with a water basin facing the courtyard and room was created. Visually connecting internal space to external, it changes every second and serves as a gallery. The landscape reflected in the water or light and shadow, along with objects placed there, create gentle scenes. An independent partition drawing the eye from the room disperses light from a lamp, making the space more impressive. A bench, wall and ceiling continue beyond the glass partition separating inside from outside. They create depth in the scene and provide a flow between internal and external space.

The building absorbs the landscape and external environment. Each individual room has clear views and natural light, creating a continuous space with slight separation. The house seems calm but the flow continues to create fresh and unusual spatial impressions in everyday life.

– FORM | Kouichi Kimura Architects