Kyukaruizawa Club Villa

This project is the first in a series of speculative villas developed by the Kyukaruizawa Club, a resort community in Karuizawa, in collaboration with Naruse Inokuma Architects.

The design begins with a simple yet profound question: how can one fully experience the surrounding natural forest, which transforms dramatically with the seasons, weather, and time of day? To sense nature is not only to see it—it also involves sound, light, and other subtle elements. At times one perceives the forest as a vast whole; at other times, as the fine textures of branches and leaves. The perception also shifts depending on how one inhabits the spaces inside and around the building.

Accordingly, the villa is composed so that spaces near the center remain continuous, while those closer to the windows gradually fragment, their apertures carefully shaped to define the relationship between activity, space, and the external environment. The dining area is linked to the forest through multiple double-height openings, allowing one to dwell as if enveloped by trees. A modest lounge on the upper level connects horizontally to the canopy through paired windows and a terrace, evoking the sensation of a treehouse. The entrance hall is tied to the crowns of the trees by a tall atrium and high-side windows, creating the impression of stepping directly into the forest itself.

This architecture can be seen as a collection of loosely connected environmental units, each capturing a distinct way of living with nature. Over time, everyday life interlaces with the ever-changing surroundings, layering experience upon experience. It is precisely through living here that one comes to feel the richness and beauty of nature more deeply.