Project Name: Kaleido Scape

Location: Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Design Team: FUMIASO ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES

Total Floor Area: 75.45 m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Yousuke Ohtake

Feature:

Project -- Kaleido Scape House, designed by FUMIASO ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES, stands as an innovative spatial solution under economic constraints nestled in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. This 75.45-square-meter single-story residence is strategically positioned on a generous T-shaped commercial lot, where its design concept derived from kaleidoscopic light effects, highlighting the possibility of achieving spatial quality through refined design amid rising construction costs.

The project's most compelling design achievement lies in its revolutionary "intersecting tubular volumes" design concept. Rather than adopting complex formal configurations, the architects established house-shaped tubular main volume intersected with secondary volume, creating architecture that maintains relationships with various external environments. From the project's initial conception, the kaleidoscopic light effects marked the conceptual genesis: a house built from the inside out, where each opening maintains a direct relationship with natural light and landscape.

The architectural narrative unfolds through sophisticated tubular configuration, distributed over a single level but with remarkable spatial richness. The main volume's south side features deck and deep eaves with direct relationship to the front yard, seeking transparency and openness to the surroundings. The north side creates a small courtyard-like terrace through freestanding walls, integrating with summer shade landscape.

The facade treatment demonstrates contemporary design refinement—simple yet effective, enhancing the functionality of tubular volumes through openings of different sizes and orientations, providing kaleidoscopic light and shadow effects to the whole. The strategic positioning of openings not only meets lighting and ventilation requirements but also provides visual focus points that reinforce the contemplative character of the home.

The material expression embodies profound dialogue with local climate conditions. Kaleido Scape is conceived as an architectural gesture that pays homage to Tajimi City's hot summer climate and the essential connection between built materials and natural light effects, showcasing the maturity and innovation of contemporary Japanese residential architecture when addressing economic constraints and climatic conditions. The project promotes gravity ventilation through elevated ceilings and triangular roof shapes, effectively responding to local extreme summer temperatures.

Design Team -- FUMIASO ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES, established in 2006, has distinguished itself as an exceptional architectural practice that transcends conventional residential design boundaries, seamlessly integrating architecture, landscape, education, and social engagement into unified design solutions. Based in Kobe, Japan, the firm is led by founding principal Fumi Aso.

Under the creative direction of Fumi Aso, the office pursues a holistic design methodology that seeks to dissolve boundaries between architecture and site history, resident memories. Each project translates into a complex contextual system where different layers form inclusive dynamics, reflecting the firm's commitment to community engagement and cultural continuity.

The firm's design philosophy centers on the principle of "architecture that carries people's thoughts and expectations, becoming buildings that are loved for a long time," a concept that manifests in projects characterized by contextual sensitivity, social responsibility, and educational engagement. FUMIASO ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES's portfolio demonstrates consistent excellence in creating environments that balance functional performance with genius loci harmony, establishing the firm as a significant contributor to Japanese contemporary residential architectural discourse.

The practice understands architecture as an expanded discipline, encompassing community education, workshop practice, and cultural exploration. Fumi Aso currently serves as adjunct lecturer at Mukogawa Women's University and Setsunan University. Through comprehensive professional services including architectural design, residential renovation, community engagement projects, and educational activities, the office is committed to redefining architecture through innovative humanistic design practices. The firm has received numerous prestigious awards, including the 2015 Kansai Architect Newcomer Award, 2019 Watanabe Setsu Prize at Osaka Architecture Competition, and 2024 Architects of the Year Award from Japan Architectural Design Association. Notable completed works include the award-winning Hat House, MORI residence, Thouse renovation project, and various community education projects, each demonstrating the firm's capacity to address diverse residential needs and social responsibilities.