Akio Isshiki's House in Hayashisaki Matsue Beach Mixes Curry Restaurant, Home, and Studio

In 2023, Akio Isshiki Architects finalized the House in Hayashisaki Matsue Beach, located in Akashi, Japan. This 73-square-metre wooden structure features a curry restaurant on the ground level, which serves as the base for the architect's residence and workspace above. The design integrates influences from various cultures and historical periods. The ground floor is adorned with handcrafted Awaji tiles, inspired by lava stone pavements from Central and South America. Layered shoji screens combined with nets and sudare blinds evoke both tropical and nostalgic themes. On the second floor, a red iron oxide plaster wall, finished by an Awaji artisan, adds vibrant colors within a Japanese aesthetic. The design showcases a mix of old and new pillars and beams, while a cypress pillar rests on natural stone without a formal base. The second-floor windows frame only the sky and sea, omitting views of the street and adjacent rooftops. This project resonates with renovations like Kuma & Elsa's Nakano House in Fukuoka and Jennifer Bonner / MALL's Kate's House on Santa Rosa Beach.