The designers fell in love with the location - the Karuizawa Hills, known for its natural hot springs, forests, and breathtaking mountain views - as the setting for their private home. The external architecture of the property blends subtly into its surroundings, offering 360-degree views of Karuizawa as if floating among its elevated plains, with the roofline mimicking the shape of the mountains beyond. Japanese cedar wood makes up a large proportion of the structure and is used on both the walls and ceilings, providing instant atmosphere and warmth. This is complemented by local stonework across floors and structural details, and expansive windows that amplify a sense of indoor-outdoor living. AB Concept often takes inspiration from nature, and in this case, the local surroundings were the central source of inspiration.
The designers approached the project without any master plan or blueprint, beginning from a place of complete openness - without the constraints of a client or deadline, they developed each and every element across architecture, interior design, and landscape. Having this freedom allowed the designers to approach planning with a considered slowness and mindfulness, allowing for complete clarity in the approach to the way in which they live, within and around the things and spaces they love.
The home is constructed in the form of a small village with several individual buildings making up the property, this concept largely sprung from a lifestyle recalibration, instigated by the pandemic lockdown. The house is built on the edge of a valley, across a steep slope. Whilst the designers could have viewed this as a challenge, they found that the landscape actually allowed for original thinking, lending to creative ideas around how they could play with perspective and scale. To address the unevenness of the land, the designers kept the ceilings low on the west side to create a sense of intimacy, whereas on the east side the structure was shaped to open dramatically. The design of these opposing ends of the property was effective in creating a 360-degree experience, and evidence that perceived ‘problems’ can often be reinterpreted as opportunities for innovative thinking.
If there is a single project that encapsulates care, creativity, and a philosophical approach, it is the private home in the Karuizawa Hills - namely, Itsu Sho Sha. The architectural structure of the property is an ode to its organic surroundings, seamlessly blending into the natural landscape. It was important to the designers to prioritise local materials, such as Japanese cedar wood and local stonework, throughout the interiors. Their philosophy around the mindful selection of local materials carries through to the furnishings and they were delighted to discover the many galleries, antiques shops, and museums of Karuizawa, incorporating many of the handcrafted items and antiques throughout the home.
Itsu Sho Sha
AB Concept
Silver

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Josse Popma
Partner
at Popma ter Steege Architects
What a lovely place, sprawling on...
7
8
9
6
7.5

Jessica Adkins
Brand Experience Design Lead Europe
at M Moser Associates
7
8.5
8.9
7
7.85

Arthur Guimarães
Chief Executive Officer
at Arthur Guimarães Architects
Amazing and well executed project!...
9
9.5
9
8
8.88

Xuechen Chen
Architectural Designer
at X.C Studio
The project seamlessly incorporates...
8
8
8.5
7.5
8

Serhii Makhno
Founder
at MAKHNO Studio
9
9
9
9
9

Pooja Shah-Mulani
Partner and Design Director
at LW Design
This is simply stunning! every deta...
9
10
9
8
9

Mariana Schimidt
Founder
at MNMA studio
7.07
7.05
8.06
6.5
7.17

Mark Eric Magno
Principal
at Aedas Interiors
Beautiful crafted interior spaces....
7.5
9.5
8
8
8.25

Mike McGirr
Managing Partner and Design Principal
at red design
7.74
7.92
8.81
7.11
7.9

Zizhao Li
Cofounder and Chief Designer
at DSC · Design
7
8.5
7
8.5
7.75

Katie Mitchell
Managing Director
at Seen Studios
Beautifully sympathetic to its surr...
9
9
10
8
9

Burton Baldridge
Founder
at Baldridge Architects
I have real problems with this proj...
6
6
2
5
4.75

Suvi Saloniemi
Head of Exhibitions
at Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design Museum
5
5
5
5
5

Wenqing Zhou
Founder
at Add Culture & Creative Development
6.9
8.18
7.51
8
7.65

Anna Gitelman
Associate Professor
at Suffolk University
Beautiful project showcasing a true...
8
8
9
8
8.25
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Harkaran Singh Boparai
Founder
at Space 5
7.53
7.53
7.6
7.88
7.64

Yan Zhang
Cofounder
at say architects
7.13
7.44
7.02
5
6.65

Jianan Shan
Cofounder
at say architects
7.13
6.61
7.13
7.13
7

G S Mahaboob Basha
Cofounder
at Taliesyn
7
6
6
5
6
Designer
Floor area
900 ㎡
Completion
2022
Lighting
Furniture
Furniture
Lighting
Accessories
Fireplace