Shutting out the world one concrete slab at a time How do you shut out the world around you, particularly when the world happens to include a highway that runs directly in front of your house" Simple: Turn your home into a bunker.
That?s what the designers from Japanese firm FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects did with the Tranquil House, a concrete fortress of a home in Shiga, Japan.

Photo: Norihito Yamauchi via Dezeen

Photo: Norihito Yamauchi via Dezeen

The three-bedroom house boasts a nearly windowless facade that blocks out the world around it. Instead of relying solely on windows, the architects designed a soaring entryway with two large skylights that filter natural light into the space. The zen, all-concrete interior is softened by the occasional sliver of glass that lets in sunlight, creating a dynamic show of light and shadows. Despite its monochromatic backdrop, the house doesn?t feel like a giant concrete box. The home unfolds into a sequence of rooms with varying ceiling heights, which keeps the space interesting with plenty of texture and angles.

Photo: Norihito Yamauchi via Dezeen

Photo: Norihito Yamauchi via Dezeen

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