‘pyramid roof house 2011’ by environment design atelier in yokohama, japan all images courtesy environment design atelier image © jin hosoya

japanese architecture practice environment design atelier (hiromichi yasuda) has sent us images of ‘pyramid roof house 2011’, a single-storey dwelling in a remote suburb of yokohama, japan. sitting on a raised platform between a hillside and a field, the design utilizes the traditional peaked roof form to reference the local typology of the region while creating a large vertically-open space within.

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 exterior view from field image © jin hosoya

situated in front of a small forested mountain, the residence lies low to the ground and is wrapped in natural wooden panels. the pyramid roof is read as a solid volume hovering over the base.

simple and pragmatic, the layout of the residence was driven by two axial lines: the first connecting the big windows to the east and the west, and another connecting the southern entrance to the northern kitchen door. the peaked roof form is translated to the interior to pull up the communal space into a pointed void. in response, a small loft-level is created above the japanese style-room as an additional multifunctional area.

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 wood facade image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 (left) from mountainside (right) view into house images © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 layered windows image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 view of living space from bedroom image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 living space from loft level image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 views of interior at night imagses © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 in context image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 at night image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 image © jin hosoya

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 floor plan / level 0

environment design atelier: pyramid roof house 2011 section