Keyhole House \ EASTERN design office

Japanese architectural practice EASTERN design office has recently completed the Keyhole House. The facade of this house has the shape of a keyhole. A key to open “my house”, which is standing along a narrow street of a crowded town, is designed as a key itself on the façade of this house. A house can be called a key, which will open up your life happily. Such a small key, this house is a key!

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

The site is in Kyoto, Japan. It is a small house for four people and two cats. It has only 100 square meters of floor space. It is standing alone in the corner of a small parking lot like a table left behind at the seaside.

• The façade is marked by a window shaped like a key.
• Mortar with sumi ink is applied to the exterior wall.
• Simple color coding. Red and purple are used as an accent.
• The triangle roof.
• Random arrangement of small windows.
• The edge to make the shape of this house clearer.

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

There is a thin steel eave which is fixed to the façade of this house as if it is floating, and a key-shaped slit like a “picture”, crossing over the eave. A red wine-colored door. These are laid out like a beautiful pattern designed on a jewel box.

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

Keyhole House, image courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura

You sometimes will see a cat lying by the window at this house. You wonder what she is watching. Do you still have a naïve heart with a key to open this house?

Keyhole House - Floor plans, drawing courtesy EASTERN design office

Keyhole House - Section, drawing courtesy EASTERN design office

+ Project credits / data

Project: Keyhole House
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Architect: EASTERN design office
Site Area: 90.81 m²
Total Floor Area: 103.47 m²
Structural Engineering: EASTERN design officeContractor: arcc
Photographer: Koichi Torimura

+ All images and drawings courtesy EASTERN design office | Photo by Koichi Torimura