Natural State
House and Leisure|January 2018

As well as its striking profile, interesting use of materials and relaxed aesthetic, what really sets Kyodo House apart is its symbiotic relationship with its environment

Erik Rimmer
Natural State
In a quiet residential neighbourhood half an hour’s drive from Tokyo’s bustling city centre lies Kyodo House, a home that was built with respect for the environment in mind by using sustainable principles. The structure is a compact one, spanning only 156m2, and emits an awareness for nature that is reinforced by its facade – which is clad in discarded wooden offcuts – as well as interiors that feature recycled materials and secondhand furniture.

Owned by art director and designer Hidenori Kondo of Sandwich and his wife Ayumi, who works for Japanese fashion brand Comme des Garçons, this house is quite unusual in that it was designed and built not just by one artist, one architect or only by engineers. Sandwich is a Kyoto-based creative platform of various disciplines with a team of graphic designers, architects and creatives, so it was simple to find the right group of experts to carry out the build.

This story is from the January 2018 edition of House and Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 2018 edition of House and Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HOUSE AND LEISUREView All
At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family
House and Leisure

At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family

Recently renovated, the historic Cape Town home of Jonty and Melanie Rhodes is an adaptable base for an active, clean-eating clan of six

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane
House and Leisure

LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane

Alfresco gatherings are the order of the day at this updated century-old semi – the home of a design-centric sister and brother in Brixton, Joburg

time-read
5 mins  |
April - May 2020
IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family
House and Leisure

IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family

For Karen Dudley, food informs the family dynamic and her home is as multilayered and as delicious a delight as her colourful personality and cooking style

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
House and Leisure

THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN

The perfect piece to pull together a country-style kitchen is a beautiful wooden table that will age with time and hold its place in the memories made around it.

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
IN THE FRAME
House and Leisure

IN THE FRAME

'The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.’

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant
House and Leisure

DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant

A dream kitchen renovation meant wine lovers Dave Cope and Donné Bullivant could finally settle down in their wondrously moody City Bowl apartment

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
THE MODULAR KITCHEN
House and Leisure

THE MODULAR KITCHEN

DECOR TIP Modular elements like these USM Haller systems are a great way to create interesting, non-permanent storage that can be customised to your needs.

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family
House and Leisure

SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family

Munich-based interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst transformed the barn at her parents’ farm in Bavaria into an eclectic family retreat

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
BREAKING BREAD
House and Leisure

BREAKING BREAD

The pendulum has swung back for this nutritious, crusty staple of flour, yeast, water and time – the much-beloved artisanal loaf

time-read
2 mins  |
April -May 2020
SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis
House and Leisure

SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis

The traditional Cycladic home of dynamic sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis on the island of Serifos is a reminder of what it means to be a part of a close-knit family

time-read
5 mins  |
April - May 2020