glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house

minimalist house by FORM / kouichi kimura architects uses gaps, levels, and light to shape its interior.

Kouichi Kimura edited by christina vergopoulou October 5, 2026 4 min

Two-volume minimalist house opens a continuous Lake view

Minimalist House by FORM / Kouichi Kimura Architects is a residence for a single owner on a hill above a lakeside town in Shiga, Japan. Instead of treating single-person living as a reason to reduce the house to a compact footprint, the design uses the individual as its base unit, reducing the composition to essential spaces while allowing views, light, wind, and sound to shape the interior.

Measuring roughly 70 sqm, the house is composed of a two-story main building and a single-story annex connected by a glazed passageway. The gap between the two volumes creates a continuous sightline from the road through the house toward the lake, while also forming an intermediate space between the interior and landscape.

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 1 — all images ©Norihito Yamauchi

The interior uses framed views and split levels to define space

Openings are positioned as frames for specific views, limiting the amount of landscape visible at once and bringing attention to individual scenes beyond the windows. In the main building, the kitchen and dining areas occupy the first floor, while the living room and bedroom are located above. FORM / Kouichi Kimura Architects designs both levels to follow open layouts, connected vertically by a double-height space. Variations in floor and ceiling heights subtly define the different areas without fully separating them.

The upper living space is also designed for listening to music, with the double-height volume allowing sound to resonate through the room. High-side windows bring in natural light, casting changing shadows across the walls and floors throughout the day. The annex contains the washroom and shower room, separating these wet areas from the main living spaces. Moving between the two volumes through the glazed corridor creates a transition through the surrounding light, breeze, and landscape.

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 2 — Minimalist House sits on a hill above a lakeside town in Shiga, Japan

By organizing the house around a single occupant, the design uses a minimal spatial composition to create a sense of depth beyond its physical dimensions. The separation of volumes, framed views, and connection to the surrounding environment shape a residence where architecture and landscape remain closely connected.

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 3 — the residence is designed for a single occupant

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 4 — the residence is composed of two separate volumes

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 5 — a two-story main building is paired with a single-story annex

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 6 — the kitchen and dining areas occupy the first floor of the main building

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 7 — a double-height space connects the upper and lower levels

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 8 — the living room and bedroom are located on the second floor

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 9 — open layouts organize both floors of the main building

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 10 — high-side windows cast changing shadows across the walls and floors

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 11 — the house uses framed views and separated volumes to connect architecture with its surroundings

glazed passage frames lake views through this compact japanese house - 12 — the annex contains the washroom and shower room

project info:

name: Minimalist House

architects: FORM / Kouichi Kimura Architects | @form.kouichi_kimura.architec

location: Shiga, Japan

floor area: 71,56 sqm

site area: 271,10 sqm

photographer: Norihito Yamauchi

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