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Nestled in Japan’s snow country, Tsuruoka is one of Yamagata prefecture’s largest cities yet remains quaint in population but rich in tradition, culture and design. Known as the UNESCO culinary capital of Yamagata and home of the Yamabushi mountain monks and Dewa Sanzan Mountains, it is also the gateway for the famed Dewa Sanzan shrines.

Yet the city also holds an impressive concentration of works by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, such as Shigeru Ban’s Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrasse and Kids Dome Sorai, in addition to Shōgin Tact Tsuruoka, a monumental arts complex designed by SANAA led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa.

In the current wave of modern approaches to traditional Japanese architectural construction and techniques, Japan’s young architects are creating a new value for localisation, creating projects that coexist with nature and core human needs. House in Tsuruoka by Nakayama Architectural Design Office led by Daisuke Nakayama examples this perfectly.

Due to the region’s distinctive sea breeze, the home was designed with a tiled roof with deep eaves. Across a large 3,025.78 m² site area, the home occupies a modest 125.87 m². The architect conceived a layout in which an entrance wing — functioning as a connector — and a main wing, containing the various rooms, are arranged in a staggered formation.

Built adjacent to the client’s parents home, the residence was designed taking into account the distance from the existing house and the view of the garden.

Natural materials play a key role in the home. The ceiling was crafted with hinoki narrow-plank-style paneling, whilst cedar aka-ome knotted wood was used for the eaves. The use of local timber has created a warm and inviting environment. Although the home was designed with no underfloor heating, the owner’s have noted their children are so comfortable that they often enjoy lying down on the floor.

As a journalist in Japan for 12 years myself, I’m inclined to feature these types of projects to inspire as an exemplary standard for contemporary architectural projects. Utilising natural materials that better acclimatise to the human condition, observing the patterns and history of local environments to determine design, considering function and optimising use of the space for durability and longevity, are just some of the key factors that when taken the time to truly consider, create exceptional and timeless spaces.

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Text: Joanna Kawecki
Images: As credited ©