Kenta Hirayama wraps Tokyo house in galvalume steel facade

Japanese architect Kenta Hirayama has completed House in Kinuta, a 145-square-metre residence in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward clad in galvalume steel. The home features a deliberately simple gabled roof and a steel-sheet exterior, designed to blend with the surrounding traditional houses and large old pine trees. The ground floor contains a double-height atelier for the artist client, a bedroom set back from the street for privacy and light, plus bathroom and storage. The first floor combines living, dining, and kitchen areas with a large bay window and custom lighting. Inside, pale natural wood floors and furniture contrast with the steely exterior, while walls and ceilings use a neutral white with a hint of grey. The structural framework uses cedar and pine wood. Hirayama described the material as low-maintenance and cost-effective, widely used in Japanese residential construction. The project team includes structural engineer Tetsuya Tanaka Structural Engineers, custom furniture and luminaire design by Katsuaki Kobayashi, lighting design by Aurora Inc and Yoshiki Ichikawa, landscape design by Hashiuchi Landscape Design, custom order furniture by Takeru Nakamura, and construction by Miki Kensetsu, Ryo Shibusawa, and Hironobu Suzuki. Photography is by Tomooki Kengaku unless otherwise stated.