Constructed in 2019, the 87.23-square-meter House 8.5 is an atelier-style residence designed by the architecture studio DOG for a painter, his wife, child, and mother in Ninomiya, Japan. Situated along the historic Tokaido Road, the design is a poetic nod to the area's artistic heritage, a path once walked and drawn by the renowned ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige.

The house presents a striking sculptural form, defined by its steep, sloping roof that doubles as a wall on the northern facade. In a neighborhood of relatively uniform three-story buildings, House 8.5 stands out through its dynamic form while maintaining a respectful scale. Its intriguing shape and visual angles vary depending on the viewer's position, offering a source of creative inspiration for the resident painter.

The interior is cleverly organized to separate the family's living area from the artist's studio using a large, diagonal exhibition wall. This wall, oriented along the maximum diagonal length of the site, provides a prominent space for displaying the painter's work to both the family and the outside world. A glass entrance on the sloped facade offers a glimpse into the atelier from the street. The interplay between the diagonal exhibition wall and the sloped roof creates a three-dimensional effect, with spaces that feel alternately wide and narrow, high and low. Rooms are located on the ground floor, while the kitchen and living room are situated on the first floor. The interior features a white-tiled bathroom and finishes that complement the house's clean, geometric lines.

Credits

Architects: DOG (Ryutaro Saito + Shun Ide*Nikken Housing System)

Structural Engineer: Yasuhiro Kaneda

Builder: Shinshin Construction Co.,Ltd.

Photographs: Satoshi Takae, Shinkenchiku

Location: Ninomiya, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Year: 2019

Area: 87.23 m² (Total Floor)

Manufacturers: Vectorworks, Duravit, Adobe, Aica Kogyo Compamy Limited, LIXIL, Nagoya Mosaic, Tile Park, Trimble Navigation, ikuta