White Cave

Interior view of living-room.

Project Details

• Project Name: White Cave
• Client: Private
• Project Type: Residential Design
• Principal Designer: Takao Shiotsuka
• Design Team: Takao Shiotsuka Atelier
• Contractors: Hokoku Co. Ltd
• Date of commencement of project: March 2006
• Date of completion of project: February 2007
• Location of site: Oita, Japan
• Site Area: 419.34 square meters
• Built-up Area: 132.60 square meters

Exterior view of the north side of the building.

The Building

The residence is located on a hill looking overlooking the town. A narrow pathway runs parallel to the site exposing panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Exterior view of the building.

With a pitch difference of 2 meters, the site is rather irregular in its profile. The building adapts to the shape and variations in level of the site with the interiors following suit.

Interior view of the corridor. The blank white interiors are in stark contrast with its context.

The varying form of the house and the spaces within is also reflective of the architect's response to the diversity of its context.

View of the terrace overlooking the town.

The walls hence constantly shift in their angle and orientation, creating interesting patterns of movement within the building.

The angular walls along with the windows punctured into them create an interesting relation between the interiors, its immediate surrounding and the distant townscape it overlooks.

View of the residence amid its context.

The building is realized as a static mass of concrete.

Credits

• Text: Courtesy of the architect
• Photographs by Toshiyuki Yano, Courtesy of the architect
• Compiled and edited by Manish Mehta