A striking concrete weekend house designed by Tokyo-based Florian Busch Architects has been completed on the volcanic slopes of Shizuoka Prefecture, embodying the contemporary dream of many urban dwellers seeking a retreat from city life. The project represents a compromise-free approach to creating a secondary residence that serves as an escape from small metropolitan apartments.
The house emerged from an extensive collaborative process between the client and architect that began before any property was even identified. Together, they visited multiple potential sites, searching for land that met specific criteria: a maximum one-hour distance from Tokyo, scenic natural beauty, and generous rather than modest proportions. However, within the predetermined budget, no suitable properties meeting these requirements could be found in the desired proximity to the capital.
The final location sits approximately three hours from Tokyo on a slope of the Amagi Mountains on the Izu Peninsula. The expansive 6,000-square-meter site offers spectacular views of Mount Yahazu and Mount Omuro on clear days, with the Pacific Ocean visible beyond. However, the location is frequently shrouded in extremely dense fog that can obscure even adjacent trees, creating an almost introverted atmosphere that dramatically transforms the site's character.
The architectural design had to respond to these contrasting environmental conditions. A simple gabled volume sits parallel to the slope, presenting only concrete surfaces to viewers approaching from the higher access road, while displaying an archetypal house silhouette from the side. The structure opens dramatically toward the northeast with a continuous glazed facade that maximizes the connection to the landscape and views.
Despite its modest appearance, the house encompasses approximately 90 square meters of living space. The remote location proves somewhat deceptive, as several other structures remain hidden among the surrounding trees in the neighborhood. The interior consists of a single room with an exposed gable roof, structured only by a few half-height walls that avoid creating definitive boundaries – much like the fog that frequently envelops the site.
During clear weather, occupants find it nearly impossible to look away from the spectacular panoramic views, while foggy conditions allow the hazy white exterior environment to flow seamlessly into the washed-out white interior spaces. This atmospheric continuity reinforces the design concept of eliminating clear spatial demarcations, creating an architecture that responds fluidly to the site's changing moods and the dramatic interplay between visibility and concealment that defines this unique volcanic landscape location.
