angled wooden louvers secure privacy in atelier thu's house in higashi kakogawa, japan

atelier thu has completed a house in higashi kakogawa, japan, with a layer of angled wooden louvers on its façade that secure enough privacy. the building takes the form of an archetypal house shape, complete with a gable roof and floor-to-ceiling glass façade at the front. its construction comprises a simple wooden frame structure, while the architects have wrapped its exterior with galvalume steel plates to protect it from the wind and rain.

all images courtesy of atelier thu

atelier thu has slightly rotated the direction of the house’s layout at an angle, to ensure privacy from the neighboring buildings. the japanese architects have also built a wooden fence on the south side of the site to block visual any contact between passersby and the residence. additionally, the angled wooden louvers are placed to further control the line of sight from inside and outside, thereby ensuring an open, yet private, living environment.

the building’s form helps block the harsh sunlight of summer and takes in the warm sunlight of winter. also, the strong summer light’s effect can be further adjusted through a japanese paper pleated screen. the eaves and inner walls of the house are covered with cedar, which gives the interior a warm appearance. when the sun goes down, the artificial light that comes from the interior illuminates the outer walls, made of cedar boards, and the louvers, which are built in cypress.

project info:

architect: atelier thu

location: higashi-kakogawa, hyogo prefecture, japan

principal use: private housing

scale: two-story wooden

site area: 272.16 m2

total floor area: 109.30 m2