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A Villa with a Farm by MDS

Designed by MDS for an elderly couple looking to leave the city behind, the Yatsugatake Villa has a farm allowing the homeowners to grow their own vegetables. The house is situated at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake, where it gets really hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, making for specific adjustments to the design plan.

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Being located in a place with harsh weather conditions, the architects paid special attention so that the residents wouldn’t have to rely on air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. The structure is fan-shaped and opens up towards the south allowing the home to be flooded with sunlight throughout the day. Come the hot summer months and the extended roof provides a shade for the interior.

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Large windows on both the north and south sides of the home open up to provide natural cooling on the inside.

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The way the house is laid out, it allows for the rooms to unfold into each other providing a cohesive plan.

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The interior is filled with warm, natural woods and white walls providing a cozy and simple aesthetic.

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Photos by Toshiyuki Yano.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.