History
Shigeru Ban Architects completed the Naked House in 2000 for a three-generation family of five. The design explores an experimental approach to family living, fostering unity and a shared atmosphere with minimal privacy.
Architecture
The Naked House consists of a large, two-story open space. Four mobile private rooms on casters occupy this interior. These rooms move freely within the main space and onto the terrace.
Exterior walls feature two layers of corrugated fiber-reinforced plastics. Insulation uses clear plastic bags filled with foamed polyethylene. Wood, steel, and nylon fabric complete the material palette. Translucent walls admit soft, diffused light.
Setting
The house stands by a river in Kawagoe, Saitama. This small town sits on the outskirts of Tokyo. Fields and greenhouses surround the property.
The tranquil landscape offers a clear contrast to the pace of city life. Sunlight filters gently through translucent walls, illuminating the interior.
Specifications
Residential structure. Floor area measures 195 square meters (approximately 1528 square feet).
Construction utilizes corrugated fiber-reinforced plastics, foamed polyethylene, wood, steel, and nylon fabric. The design includes four mobile rooms on casters.
In print
Featured: ArtChist, ArchEyes, Global Spaces, Architectuul, Modern Architecture: A Visual Lexicon, Shigeru Ban by Matilda McQuaid (Phaidon Press, 2003), 新建築 (Shin Kenchiku), ArchDaily. Known in one publication as "The Case Study House-10".
