Project: Hokusutsu Polygon House
Architecture: Fujiwaramuro Architects
Location: Takatsuki-city, Japan
Year: 2023
Photo Credits: Toshiyuki Yano
Hokusutsu Polygon House by Fujiwaramuro Architects takes full advantage of its unique site. The property faces a greenbelt across the road with a two‑meter difference in elevation. The design team wanted to use this greenbelt as a stunning backdrop while blending the home into the hilly streetscape.
Designing for a Sense of Surroundings
They asked, “Can we make the residents feel surrounded by the greenbelt, even though it appears only on one side?” To answer this, they carefully arranged the flow lines and floor plans to reflect the landscape inside the house. They also positioned part of the building’s foundation diagonally against the embankment so that the structure naturally follows the slope. As a result, the walls take on a polygonal shape that softens the interior’s directionality and frames views of the greenbelt from various points in the house.
Building Configuration and Interior Layout
The site meets the street with a parking lot that provides a smooth transition. Residents enter the building from the north along the slope. On the first floor, the kitchen, dining room, living room, and workspace form an integrated, open space. A closet and wet areas—such as the bathroom and washroom—sit behind these main living areas. The architects designed windows and flow lines so that you can see the greenery and sky from the stairwell, stairs, study, and other areas.
Material Choices that Enhance the View
The team chose materials that highlight the connection with nature. They used orange-painted lauan boards for the walls at the same height as the windows. This creates a striking contrast with the green landscape and makes the greenbelt appear closer. Meanwhile, the exterior features red cedar for the continuous areas around the windows and a contrasting green color for the main exterior walls.
In short, Hokusutsu Polygon House blends thoughtful planning with creative material choices. The design creates a strong connection with the greenbelt and the surrounding hilly terrain while offering an open, inviting interior space.
