Japanese Homes: Minimalism, Balance, Elegance

Delving into the harmony of tradition and modernity in Japanese residential architecture to reimagine the art of home design.

Life in Japan – and therefore also the culture of living – oscillates between two very contrasting poles: on the one hand, the tranquility of country life, surrounded by the sounds of nature, with tatami mats, sliding doors and engawa wooden verandas, and on the other, the frenetic dynamism of the metropolises and large cities with minimalist townhouses on narrow plots and sophisticated micro-apartments. It becomes exciting when these worlds of tradition and modernity meet and interact with each other in terms of design.

This volume offers a multifaceted overview of contemporary Japanese residential architecture and introduces the art of creating spaces that combine functionality and spirituality. It offers unique insights into the principles that make them so special and shows how living spaces are not only designed but also experienced. The selected projects invite to understand and reinterpret the essence of Japanese living cultures.

About the Author

The core topic for Chris van Uffelen is the transfer of knowledge about design in all its manifestations. For more than twenty years the Dutch-German art historian has been publishing books as well as countless essays and articles on art, architecture, interior design and urban planning from antiquity to the present.