Hitotomori joins the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2026 - welcome this young Japanese practice to our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios.
Who: Hitotomori
Hitotomori (a name with a dual meaning in Japanese: either ‘people and forest’ or ‘one light’) is a small Japanese studio founded in 2019 by Yoshiaki Nagasaka. The office is in Nara, at the edge of the Kasuga Primaeval Forest, in a renovated, 140-year-old multipurpose machiya building with a small shop/cafe (run by Nagasaka’s wife), a one-room hotel (run by the studio), and the architectural office of its small team of five people.
Having worked for a large general contractor for almost 30 years, Nagasaka longed for more freedom and ‘the opportunity to pursue more creative work in an environment where I could work closely with friends,’ he explains, describing his reasons for setting up his own practice. ‘This freedom is now the driving force behind my work,’ he continues.
Spanning a wide variety of residential, commercial, and hospitality projects, Nagasaka’s no-frills design approach and clever use of ordinary materials have attracted quite a following, keeping the small studio constantly busy with several projects running simultaneously.
Nagasaka’s main influences are the architecture of Alvar Aalto, the thinking of Louis Kahn (‘Structure is the giver of light’ and ‘Even a common, ordinary brick wants to be something more than it is’), and the work of his friend and fellow architect Taro Tsuruta of Tsuruta Architects in London.
What: House in Asuka
Completed in 2024, the House in Asuka is quintessentially Hitotomori. Designed in about five months and built in six, the compact 65 m² home sits on a corner site in a protected area of the small village of Asuka in Nara Prefecture. It is partly screened from the two roads by a simple wooden fence, above which only the tiled roof, required by local regulations, is visible. Simple concrete steps set in grey gravel lead up to a small landing and the front door.
Inside, the interior is kept simple, with cedar floorboards, lauan doors and bespoke furniture, painted walls, and Hitotomori’s original concrete tiles forming the kitchen splashback. To make the most of the modest 65 m² footprint, Nagasaka has added several small loft spaces, accessible by a staggered staircase in one location and a simple ladder in another. Lighting is provided by one of Nagasaka’s close collaborators, New Light Pottery, with its Mob 26 bracket light used throughout the space.
Why: Architects Directory 2026
When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory was conceived in 2000, it was built as our bespoke international index of emerging architectural talent. Now in its 25th edition, our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the best and most promising young studios - a snapshot of talent showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.
This year’s anniversary survey includes 30 young studios (one for each of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, ideas and exciting architecture of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026.
