The Ant-house, a single-family residence in Omaezaki-City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, was completed in 2012 by mA-style architects. Designed for a family of five, the 66-square-meter home presents a stark, dark metal-clad cube to the street, with a single, unassuming entryway. However, the interior is a warm, labyrinthine world of larch plywood, filled with natural light from carefully placed skylights and apertures. The design is based on the concept of a house-within-a-house, with a two-story, gabled-roof structure nestled inside the exterior cube. This creates a playful and ambiguous interior, devoid of typical wall partitions, which allows for free-flowing use of the space and encourages interaction among family members. The interior layout features a lower-level living room, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and storage spaces, with bedrooms located on the upper level, separated by a free, double-height space that connects the floors. This central gabled space, with openings in its walls, allows natural light and air to permeate the home, creating a dynamic and cozy atmosphere. The unique spatial arrangement challenges traditional notions of a room, allowing the family to define and use the space as they wish. Credits Architects: Atsushi Kawamoto and Mayumi Kawamoto, mA-style architects Photography: Kai Nakamura