No-frills Japanese house is an ode to concrete

Architect designs himself a live-work home

Boxy concrete house rests on stone base.

This boxy house in Hyogo, Japan, does concrete right. Designed by Go Fujita of the architecture studio Gosize as his personal residence and office, Residence F is all about showcasing the material in its purest form.

The house sits atop a natural stone base, whose craggy surface creates an unexpectedly cool contrast with the rest of the smoothed-out facade. The three-story house is arranged into concrete boxes, one stacked on top of another, and each with some connection to the outdoors.

All-concrete room with high ceilings and an opening to an outdoor zen garden.

Akiyoshi Fukuzawa

Dining room table in concrete-walled room

Akiyoshi Fukuzawa

Fujita wanted to create a separation between work and life, so he kept the office space on the ground floor, where there’s easy access to an interior-facing courtyard and calming water feature.

The second floor is reserved for the bedroom, while the third floor is home to the open living room and kitchen that open onto an expansive terrace. The entire space is cast in concrete, including the monochromatic bathroom under skylights, creating a perfectly quiet mood for working or relaxing.

Room with concrete walls and bench, with natural light filtering in, Akiyoshi Fukuzawa Kitchen that opens onto terrace. Akiyoshi Fukuzawa All-concrete bathroom with an angular concrete bath tub and skylight overhead. Akiyoshi Fukuzawa