Commissioned to design a house for a young family?a couple who like to surf every morning before getting down to work?architect Takaya Tsuchida and his team at No. 555 made use of tarps, wood-cement insulation blocks, and other unexpected materials.
Set on an odd lot in a wind-whipped area a few miles from the beach in Chiba prefecture, Japan, the structure is surrounded by neighbors and pedestrian traffic. To keep it private and isolated from the elements, No. 555 came up with Sabi, a hang-loose setup that revolves around an interior courtyard. The ruddy, weathered steel cladding on the exterior gives the project its name: Sabi means “rust” and also alludes to wabi-sabi, a celebration of natural beauty, imperfection, and, in this case, the surf life. Photography by Koichi Torimura, courtesy of No. 555.

Above: The house is approximately 1,524 square feet and divided into two volumes: one for living, the other for sleeping, positioned on either side of the courtyard. The open-plan kitchen, dining, living wing features exposed wood beams and wood-fiber cement blocks, also known as wood wool and excelsior (and typically used as insulation), that add texture and pattern to the soaring space. “We chose it because it’s good for sound and insulation,” the architects tell us. “When a room is humid, the material absorbs humidity and when a room is dry, it discharges humidity.”

Above: Sliding glass doors open the living area t...