The brief for this house in what is often referred to as one of the world?s best winter destinations was straightforward: simple, energy-efficient, maintenance-free. By far the best piece left in a fairly large development of mostly quaint variations of the theme ?mountain chalet? (and their to our brief inevitably opposed manifestations), the site added to that straightforwardness: Its asset ?unhindered views of the volcano Yotei to the east? dictated the orientation; our nonchalant disinterest in (and consequential avoiding of) the neighboring houses fine-tuned placement.

© Glen Claydon

Architects: Florian Busch Architects

Location: Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

Team: Florian Busch, Sachiko Miyazaki, Suguru Takahashi, Renee Reder
Area: 197.0 m2

Project Year: 2017

Photographs: Glen Claydon

Contractor: Wakisaka Corporation

Structure: Timber Frame

© Glen Claydon

From the architect. The brief for this house in what is often referred to as one of the world?s best winter destinations was straightforward: simple, energy-efficient, maintenance-free. By far the best piece left in a fairly large development of mostly quaint variations of the theme ?mountain chalet? (and their to our brief inevitably opposed manifestations), the site added to that straightforwardness: Its asset ?unhindered views of the volcano Yotei to the east? dictated the orientation; ou...