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A House on a Hill Facing the Sea

Takeshi Hirobe Architects designed Villa Escargot on a hill with trees layering the back of the cliff-located property in Chiba, Japan. Facing the sea just 200 meters away, the house boasts views of the Tokyo Bay as you stare out the front of the home.

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With the large site and nature-surrounding landscape, there were considerations to be taken. The bold topography around the house meant a daring, two-story structure would work well for this geometric weekend home. The double-height design also meant that the client would have ocean views from the top floor.

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Wide open views of the ocean unfold as you enter the living room. The faceted ceiling and walls are covered with closed-joint plywood giving a uniform appearance throughout the interior.

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All of the wood is paired with metal elements, like the triangular railing that leads up the stairs and along the sides of the loft-like space.

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Curved walls complement the folded wood ceiling as you move throughout the space.

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Photos by Koichi Torimura.

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.