Architecture as Art: Cubism

“Cubist Architecture” is what I’m calling the type of modern architecture (literally) growing in popularity right now, especially in Tokyo. As space is harder and harder to come by, architects are finding the need to build up rather than out, and that means getting creative with less space.

Meet High Land Design, a Japanese architect firm with a penchant for taking nondescript, cement block buildings and using strong geometric shapes, natural elements like sunlight, and a modern perspective to transform the buildings into comfortable living spaces packed with energy.

They recently designed this house (above) in Aoto, an urban suburb of Tokyo. The reinforced concrete building stands out thanks to its seemingly random windows, but it’s inside that truly inspires.

The front entryway (below) is framed much like a painting, creating the feeling of stepping into an abstract work by Picasso. Sharp angles and shadows give the room movement and life despite its being as of yet unfurnished:

The winding, platformed staircase rises four flights up to the roof terrace, and when the sun shines through the “random” windows, the various spaces are transformed into an infinity sketch a la M.C. Escher:

For more great photos and info on this project, visit Live Modern.

(Aoto House Photos by Toshiyuki Yano)