Infinity

This residence in the mountainous region of northern Okinawa known as Gushiku Mui serves as a weekend and vacation home for a client whose primary residence is in Hokkaido. The hilltop site offers sweeping views of the ocean immediately below as well as the ambiance of the magnificent mountains behind it.

A large entrance garden greets residents and visitors inside the first-floor entryway, while the centrally located kitchen offers box-seat views of a peaceful courtyard. The living-dining-kitchen area stretches the full width of the property, with a jacuzzi bathroom featuring outdoor views at one end. Beyond a living-room terrace partially shaded by eaves, an infinity pool segues into a natural landscape of ocean and forest. The second floor comprises private rooms as well as a full-width balcony with an outdoor jacuzzi, providing a different way to enjoy the stunning views. An exterior staircase leads to a rooftop terrace with concrete benches and 360-degree views of the mountains and ocean.

We strongly believe that as remote work is normalized and the nature of both work and lifestyles changes dramatically, maintaining residences in both urban and non-urban areas will become a standard option for people around the world who want to vary their lifestyle according to the seasons and other considerations. Most likely, homes will need to serve multiple functions, including as offices, hotels, guest houses, and galleries. The long-dominant model of the single-purpose “private home” may well be giving way to a new kind of multi-purpose “public home” along the lines of what we have conceived in this project.