Japanese home-office design inspired by small valley entrance.

Ogawa Architect Design has completed a sculptural concrete volume hosting an atelier and residence in Kawasaki, Japan. The four-level design responds to the site's limiting conditions, with a 10-meter-deep atrium emerging at the center of the house-atelier, dividing the long volume from east to west. The sloping outlines and wide atrium offer rich and diverse visual impressions from different angles, resembling the entrance to a small valley. The concrete volume is spread upward into four floors, connected vertically by a spiraling staircase, and the atelier space brings a much-needed sense of tension to the living area.