360° House / YUUA Architects & Associates

The ‘360° House’ is a freestanding house located in the outskirt hills of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. The residence is designed around a circular courtyard with timber construction radiating outward into the interior of the building. The interior spaces are oriented towards the courtyard and follow the radial lines set out by the visible timber beams. The layout of the rooms is determined by a circular path of access wrapping around the courtyard, giving the dweller an ever-changing perspective of the courtyard and the interiors surrounding it. Hence, the dweller might see the courtyard function as an architectural clock; dynamically lighting up different parts of the building during the day and continually changing during the seasons.