Polyhedral Wooden TownHouse in Kyoto by ALPHAVILLE architects

The ‘New Kyoto Town House’ is a polyhedral wooden three-story residence designed by Kyoto-base firm ALPHAVILLE architects.

Architects: ALPHAVILLE architects
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Photography: Kei Sugino, K Takeguchi

From the architects:

First, the partition walls, normally extended in the vertical and horizontal directions, have multidimensionality and loosely connect the rooms on the three floors. The space thus created is one continuous room with dynamic nuances: it is simultaneously spacious and heterogeneous.

Second, the partition walls serve as reflectors of natural light. They softly reflect the natural light coming from both the north and south sides and bring it to the otherwise dark interior of the building. Finally, the partition walls blur the boundary between architecture and furniture, thus stimulating perception and behaviour. Melt into floors and ceilings, the plywood-finished walls offer enjoyable experiences of touching and passing. The house as a whole is a machine for living, like playground equipment……