Behind a glass facade, a basket weave of timber encases the living and dining areas of this house in Nara, Japan by Japanese studio Tadashi Yoshimura Architects.

The lattice wall can be used as a climbing frame for the client's children, but also serves as a partial screen that light may pass through.

Named Wood Block House, the rectilinear building is raised up from the ground by stone walls.

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Photography is by Hitoshi Kawamoto.

The following details are from the architects:

Wood Block House

The house is designed for an elderly married couple, and their grand children that occasionally stay with them.

The site is located in a housing district developed 30 years ago that kept the natural land form. Around the site, we can see beautiful retaining wall made of granite. I try to extend the exterior topography to the interior of the building.

If day light diminishes, the shape of the structural shear wall that creates a relationship to the site’s stone wall, is projected onto the glass façade.

Similar to retaining stone walls, this wall is best play equipment that kids enjoy to clime, pass under the hole , sit, and see distant scenery.

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A Structural Shear Wall System of Wooden Blocks

This structural shear wall consists of ship-shaped wooden blocks. These blocks can be easily stacked without the help of skilled workers, and can be disassembled and assembled in different location if necessary.

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Architects: Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
Location: Nara, Japan
Structural Engineers: Masahiro Inayama
General Contractor: Nakayama Komuten

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Site area: 265 sq m
Building area: 86 sq m
Total floor area: 148 sq m

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Structure: wood; 2story
Principal use: residence, atelier
Project Year: 2008
Photographs: Hitoshi Kawamoto

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Materials
External wall: glass, Cement board
Inner wall: Japan cedar, LVL, Lauan plywood