Project Name: House of Footpath

Location: Toon City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan

Design Team: Fujiyama Noriyaki Architects

Total Floor Area: 204.15 m²

Completion: September 2023

Photography: Kitamura Toru, Fujimura Taiichi

Feature:

Project - Fujiyama Noriyaki Architects has completed their latest project - House of Footpath in Toon City, Ehime Prefecture, transforming the concept of intersecting rural pathways into architectural inspiration. This 204-square-meter residence skillfully balances functional requirements with landscape integration, creating a unique living environment that transcends conventional residential design.

The project's most distinctive feature is its innovative application of curved elements. The design team transformed stairs, walls, and floor levels into graceful arcs that create dynamic contrast with horizontal beam lines, providing residents with unique visual experiences from different positions. These curved elements, combined with strategically placed windows, generate rich spatial layers and ever-changing light patterns throughout the day.

The spatial layout is carefully orchestrated, comprising a main residential building and a detached music room elegantly connected by a curved pathway that simulates the experience of strolling along countryside trails. The thoughtful consideration of living experience is manifested in the varied floor level changes, which serve not only as circulation elements but also as reading nooks and relaxation spaces, allowing natural transitions between daily activities and leisure pursuits.

The project's uniqueness lies in its successful integration of environmental characteristics with architectural design. From the interior looking outward, the residence presents an open feeling; while from the exterior, curved walls provide necessary privacy protection. Material selections include red cedar exterior walls, iron fencing, and stone elements, all chosen to develop beautiful natural patination over time, further blending with the surrounding landscape.

This is not merely a residence but a vivid demonstration of how thoughtful design can transform everyday living into a harmonious experience with nature, establishing new standards for residential design in Japan's rural regions.

Design Team - Founded in the early 2000s, Fujiyama Noriyaki Architects has developed into one of the most distinctive architectural practices in Japan's Ehime region, renowned for its profound understanding of environmentally responsive design and unique spatial creation methodology. This Matsuyama-based studio is led by principal architect Noriyaki Fujiyama, born in Ehime Prefecture in 1979, who graduated from Tokai University's Department of Architecture and obtained his master's degree from the university's Graduate School of Engineering.

The practice specializes in utilizing natural elements—wind, light, landscape, and sound—as fundamental design parameters rather than merely considering architectural form and function. Their methodology emphasizes detailed site analysis and in-depth client communication, ensuring each project authentically reflects both environmental conditions and user requirements. The firm's technical expertise spans traditional Japanese timber structures and concrete construction, with particular attention to material performance and tectonic expression.

Under the current leadership team, the office provides comprehensive design services, including spatial planning, custom furniture design, and thorough interior coordination, creating holistic environments that merge comfort with aesthetics. Their design philosophy emphasizes transforming environmental advantages into design elements, fully demonstrated in the acclaimed "House of Footpath" project.

The firm's design approach combines rigorous architectural techniques with keen insights into user experience, successfully achieving balance between aesthetic quality and practical functionality. They place special emphasis on building durability and safety, employing reinforced concrete foundations and advanced moisture prevention systems to ensure long-term building value. Fujiyama Noriyaki Architects demonstrates its growing influence in the architectural field through its continuously expanding diverse project portfolio and ongoing contributions to contemporary Japanese architecture.