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25 Aug 2011

House in Abiko, Japan, by Shigeru Fuse

Often perceived as the neighbourhood's misfit, Shigeru Fuse's latest private housing project is composed of three interlocking concrete tubes.

More photos at Wallpaper.com.Composed of three interlocking concrete tubes, Shigeru Fuse's latest private housing project could easily be mistaken for an art gallery. No matter though, as the residents - a young couple in their thirties - are totally fine with a house often perceived as the neighbourhood's misfit. Their original request from the architect was indeed for a concrete, gallery-like space where they could showcase their favourite collection of design furniture.

To the architect however, the building's characteristic form was primarily the outcome of practical considerations. 'The house is located between two valleys and on soft ground, so deep foundations were a necessity', Fuse explains. 'To reduce the footprint, the upper structure soon turned into a cantilevered one'. Fuse then moulded the slanted walls with the roof slab into one smooth and continuous concrete structure.

The dining room, bathroom and a special studio space (where the owner's wife cuts her friends' hair) are extruded from the 6m-high central living space. Within the multifaceted interior, it is the use of light instead of conventional walls that divides the central void. A flight of black, minimal steps guides the visitor through the house; an experience that changes according to the light intensity outside. 'The reflection and refraction of natural light onto the slanted surfaces produce a sequence of places which make the interior feel divided, but at the same time connected', Fuse explains.

The article is republished with permission from Wallpaper.com.

Reader's Comments

1. 2011-08-26 01:31  
good~!i like it
2. 2011-08-26 08:51  
Nice architecture and minimalist interior !! Love it ..!!
3. 2011-08-26 14:05  
that is so fucken cool! :D lol
4. 2011-08-27 18:24  
quite nice
5. 2011-08-28 02:01  
so ,very nice design, its my dream house
6. 2011-08-29 20:48  
it's nice ^^ i loves it!!!
7. 2011-08-29 21:44  
Really nice! I wonder what the neighbours think ^_^
8. 2011-08-30 11:08  
don't like it. too cold! not romantic and realistic.
9. 2011-08-30 11:08  
don't like it. too cold! not romantic and realistic.
10. 2011-08-31 00:03  
Nooooooo, I'm human, I'm not living in that sculpture. OK, it looks cool et.c. but as a house to live in, thumbs down.

I've just visited the link and wondered if there was something to redeem it, no there isn't. This is hideous; the only saving grace is that the houses on each side of it have as much architectural flair as a discarded cardboard box.
11. 2011-08-31 08:18  
so cool
12. 2011-08-31 19:22  
wow...that is so nice--very artistic and classy
13. 2011-09-01 06:47  
the style is liveable, but i don´t like grey colours.
14. 2011-09-01 11:50  
my kind of style
15. 2011-09-03 09:54  
a place like that would be really nice in a hot climate
16. 2011-09-07 00:07  
VERY nice. It appeaars that they don't have to look at the neighbouring houses from inside their house - fortunately.
17. 2011-09-10 21:09  
niceee
18. 2011-09-15 12:56  
have to agree with moonlightdrag. Awesome n cool but It's not what I want to go back to after a hard day at work..not cozy!!!
19. 2011-09-17 07:18  
nice house, bad location. would definately dress up the concrete abit - its too much like a bunker!
20. 2011-09-18 01:51  
Love the house....
21. 2011-09-18 04:31  
My. Home
22. 2011-09-20 10:10  
Just perfect for a single stylish gay guy. They can cool and heat the concrete slab these days!
23. 2011-10-11 15:56  
Love it , too
24. 2011-10-14 16:42  
Beautiful design...great aspect
25. 2011-10-16 21:11  
nice Love it
26. 2011-10-16 21:41  
so cute
27. 2011-10-24 04:02  
Where's the bed?
28. 2011-10-27 08:44  
I like it. I would live in it!
29. 2011-10-28 11:12  
like it so much
30. 2011-11-04 22:06  
beautiful and surreal
31. 2011-11-05 13:39  
cool :)
32. 2011-11-10 08:48  
wow its cool!
33. 2011-11-14 00:19  
It's way past time that Japan began showing some of the modernist talents they have in abundance. My 30+ years as an art critic in Tokyo allowed me to see many examples but the spread is thin considering the enormous size of the metropolitan area. I agree that the grey is a bit daunting but some really large contemporary works would soften that considerably. One wonders how it fares electrically with the new reduced usages imposed? Reminds me of SHIMA Kuniichi's attempt to make his third floor "mansion" over just by painting the outer wall a bright yellow some 30 years back in Yokohama area. Change will come but slowly still I applaud the innovative manner of FUSE. Wish I had a chance to meet and talk with him. AMAURY SAINT-GILLES / Hawaii now!
34. 2011-11-22 16:02  
It's good house.
35. 2011-11-23 21:32  
i wish i can i can have house like this .. Very Cool ^_^
36. 2011-11-29 22:44  
nice house!
37. 2011-12-05 04:34  
really cool ^^
38. 2011-12-12 07:01  
i live! nice house!
39. 2012-05-16 10:07  
Its cool... but too cold for me. I like wood.
40. 2012-06-04 18:44  
Nice sculpture; lousy house.

Good architecture is not just aesthetically pleasing but is practical too. All the hard concrete surfaces would mean bad acoustics. The staircase without handrails is a safety hazard. Imagine slipping off the staircase and breaking your neck!

Might make a good bomb shelter.
41. 2012-08-31 03:32  
Agree with previous comment, beautiful design... but, too cold and hard. Although the interior is aesthetically pleasing, it is not practical to live in, unless you are robocock.

The interior need to be balanced with softer finishes, ash wood being an excellent choice to balance the coldness of concrete and a few soft furnishings will transform the space into a more inviting home.

I do love the use of natural light though. I think the architect need to consult an interior designer when embarking on his next showcase ;-)
42. 2013-02-04 07:21  
I like the design, but this is a 'space' not a house and definitely NOT a home. It is just a space to do things in. I think when a person comes 'home' from work, that is what they want, a home.. not a space to sit in and wait for the next event to happen in their life.
43. 2013-03-21 20:23  
OK, if you like living in a bomb shelter!
Comment #44 was deleted by its author on 2013-03-21 20:24
45. 2013-04-03 13:32  
Would love to visit this place, since it seems like it would definitely give me a feel of 'space'. Looks like the natural light is well shone throughout the interiors.
46. 2013-07-24 20:21  
practical, BUT cold and impersonal. Not really a home~might make a better auto repair shop! :-)
47. 2013-07-24 20:21  
practical, BUT cold and impersonal. Not really a home~might make a better auto repair shop! :-)
48. 2013-07-24 20:22  
practical, BUT cold and impersonal. Not really a home~might make a better auto repair shop! :-)
49. 2013-10-28 09:12  
In case you are interested to see more photos, here you are.
I myself is "not" design-oriented.
Abiko
http://www.fuse-a.com/cn24/cn25/abiko.html

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