Takeshi Hirobe’s weekend home uses clever geometries to dramatic effect
Villa MKZ by Takeshi Hirobe Architects is a weekend home in Japan's Minamiboso City that celebrates its awkward site

Villa MKZ by the Japanese architecture studio of Takeshi Hirobe takes its cues from its site; quite literally so, as the unusually shaped building was formed by following the buildable outline of its plot, resulting in an expressive, angular, striking roof that defines its identity. This parcel of land, while enviably perched on a hillside offering long views of Japan's Minamiboso City and the sea in the distance, was tricky to design for, as it is steeply sloped, featuring a rocky outcrop that made it hard to build. Yet a clever system of shapes and an open mind allowed Hirobe to craft his project – a weekend home for a private client.
Villa MKZ by Takeshi Hirobe Architects
Kanagawa-based Hirobe and his team weaved the footprint of the main home around the site's restrictions – while a guest suite is located on the opposite end of the site. 'At our first client presentation, we proposed a plan comprised of interconnected triangles, but this design was not rigidly fixed; rather, our approach allowed for the forms to be adjusted by “pinching” the roof peaks as we developed a more detailed plan,' the architect explained. 'We gradually adjusted the peaks in response to client requests regarding the interior, so that each roof segment contained a space appropriately scaled for its use.'
As a result of its prominent geometries, inside, the home features a sequence of characterful spaces carved out of concrete and timber. Large openings connect the living spaces to the outdoors, while natural and textured materials ensure the environment remains homely and calming, despite of its unconventional room shapes. This approach is underlined by the prevailing sense of minimalist architecture in the decor.
‘By manipulating the complexity of interlinked free-form triangles, we freely varied parameters such as the relationship with the landscape, the size of the rooms, and the volume of the spaces. The result is a natural-feeling interior scale and a sense of affinity between the buildings and the site,' the architect concluded.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
What is the future for design in Africa? Designer Hicham Lahlou shares possibilities for the continent at large
The Moroccan designer celebrates 30 years of his practice. Here he speaks from his studio in Rabat about his own career and the creative possibilities for design in Morocco and the rest of Africa
-
Philadelphia’s 'Grande Dame' reopens with a dazzling French twist
The Bellevue Hotel has been restored to its former glory through a stylish renovation by design studio Ward + Gray
-
Louis Vuitton’s duo of Osaka exhibitions celebrate the house’s deep-rooted relationship with Japan
Unfolding in Osaka this summer, ‘Visionary Journeys’ is a transporting trip into the house’s history, while ‘Yayoi Kusama – Infinity’ promises an immersion into the works of the Japanese artist, who is a longstanding Louis Vuitton collaborator
-
Mayumi Miyawaki’s Fukumura Cottage puts this lesser-known Japanese modernist in the spotlight
Discover the little-known modernist architect through this private home in Japan’s Tochigi prefecture countryside
-
A Karuizawa house is a soothing, work-from-home retreat in Japan
Takeshi Hirobe Architects play with scale and space, creating a tranquil residence in which to live and work
-
Naoshima New Museum of Art is a home for Asian art, and a lasting legacy, in Seto Inland Sea
The Naoshima New Museum of Art opens, marking a seminal addition to the Japanese island's renowned Benesse Art Site Naoshima; we explore Tadao Ando's design
-
Behind a contemporary veil, this Kyoto house has tradition at its core
Designed by Apollo Architects & Associates, a Kyoto house in Uji City is split into a series of courtyards, adding a sense of wellbeing to its residential environment
-
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa on harmony, nature and their RIBA gong
The SANAA duo are celebrating their RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2025 in London today, and talked to us about self-reflection, the year ahead, and the need to create harmony in our environment
-
New book 'I-IN' brings together Japanese heritage and minimalist architecture at its finest
Japanese architecture studio I-IN flaunts its expert command of 21st-century minimalism in a new book by Frame Publishers
-
Giant rings! Timber futurism! It’s the Osaka Expo 2025
The Osaka Expo 2025 opens its microcosm of experimental architecture, futuristic innovations and optimistic spirit; welcome to our pick of the global event’s design trends and highlights
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Ireland is having a moment in Japan
At 2025 Expo Osaka, a new sculpture for the Irish pavilion brings together two nations for a harmonious dialogue between place and time, material and form