Diamant is a minimalist residence and gallery located in Osaka, Japan, designed by Jun Murata. The site is situated in the area near the Yamato River, and the client is an owner of an antique shop with a gallery. Due to a limited budget, the client wanted to purchase a secondhand building and then renovate the property with leftover funds.
The architects were requested to design an additional storage space, a small exhibition space, and a comfortable space for living and working. Due to the busy streets adjacent to the building, there were no windows on the south and west side. The only natural light entered from the east, and the walls were padded with sound insulation in order to limit noise coming from the frontal road.
In addition, to allow light into the space on the first floor without compromising privacy, various glass blocks with opaqueness and wave patterns were arranged forming a perfect 11 by 11 square window. The first floor contains the client’s collection of glassware and antiques, while the second floor warehouses unused items from the collection. The third floor is the private space for relaxation and sleeping.
