A housing design based on the universal presence of the moon.

The diversification of lifestyles in recent years has weakened the existence of the fundamental elements of housing derived from the sun. In such a context, it is only natural to have housing that focuses on the natural aspects and the passage of time during the night. While it may be a unique approach, reintroducing the moon into dwellings is based on a universal sense of beauty and derived from nature and natural phenomena. By reevaluating the tranquility and shadows that are typically associated with Japanese aesthetics and capturing delicate elements that can be experienced specifically at night, we believe we can provide a more enriching living environment.

The interior of the housing, which is partially embedded by a tidal lake, is adorned with a blue gradient, and its surface appears to float with the moonlight, blending with the sky and water to create a vague boundary.

Even if the visual presence of the moon is not directly felt, the tidal forces caused by the moon’s universal gravitational pull manifest in the opening of the terraces at the edges, allowing the water to enter the space and change the acoustic environment. Additionally, the design incorporates ripples and light guided inward, shaped by the wind, creating a sense of resonance between the housing, the moon, and nature.

Inspiration

… “However, as I mentioned before, we Easterners create beauty by giving shadows to ordinary things. There is an old poem that says, ‘When you gather and tie them, it becomes a thatched hut, and when you untie them, it returns to the original field.’ Our way of thinking often follows such a pattern, where beauty does not reside in the objects themselves but in the shadows and the interplay of light and darkness created by the objects. Like a pearl shining in the darkness of the night, losing its charm when exposed to the light of day, beauty does not exist without the influence of shadows… I want to at least bring back the world of shadows that we are gradually losing, even if it is only within the realm of literature. Let us deepen the eaves and darken the walls of the palace called literature, pushing visible things into darkness and stripping away unnecessary interior decorations. Perhaps it would be fine to have one house like that. Well, let’s try turning off the electric lights to see how it turns out.”

‘In Praise of Shadows’ by Junichiro Tanizaki

“The moonlight permeates like water, and the water merges with the moonlight, extending into the vast sky.”

-Zhao Guo”