overlapping concrete walls and columns blur inside and outside in okinawa house

a large roof unifies a house of overlapping concrete spaces

Overlapping Spaces is a house in Okinawa, Japan, designed by IGArchitects as a composition of reinforced-concrete walls, columns, and a large roof. Rather than dividing the house into conventional rooms, the project creates a continuous spatial field by overlapping structural elements. Walls and columns define different degrees of enclosure, while the large roof unifies the spaces beneath it. The resulting architecture is composed of a series of spaces that are neither completely inside nor outside. Boundaries become ambiguous as views, light, air, and movement pass between the structural elements.

all images ©IGArchitects

Overlapping spaces define a flexible framework for living

The walls and columns are not treated simply as structural necessities. Their positions establish the rhythm, scale, and sequence of the house, while the roof creates a generous sheltered environment for everyday life. The project reduces the architecture to a small number of strong elements and allows their relationships to generate spatial richness. Instead of prescribing a fixed use for each room, the overlapping spaces provide a flexible framework for different activities and ways of living. Through this project, design studio IGArchitects explores how a strong structural order can coexist with openness and ambiguity, creating architecture that is both defined and adaptable.

project info:

name: Overlapping Spaces

architect: Masato Igarashi – IGArchitects | @igaarchitects

location: Okinawa, Japan

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edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom