The first floor of the Optical Glass House is occupied by a garden and a glass façade positioned towards the street that maximizes natural lighting. The living areas are located at the far end of the house, and they open onto the courtyard. A sputter-coatedlightweight metal curtain between the living room and the courtyard protects the interior.
Glass bricks made from borosilicate, a raw material for optical glass, are highly transparent, and the facade is supported by stainless steel rods suspended from a reinforced concrete and steel frame. Stress is minimized by embedding steel reinforcements within the glass bricks.
Nakamura, who worked under the famous Japanese architect Kengo Kuma before setting up his own studio, shaped the spaces using clean lines and surfaces rich in texture. The serene, natural space provides a counterpoint to the city’s high-tech avenues. The Optical Glass House showcases some of the best design techniques in contemporary Japanese architecture.
+ Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP
Via Gizmag
Photos by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP
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