Japanese architect Makoto Tanijir from Suppose Design Office has designed an entirely translucent polycarbonate house in Hiroshima called the House of Tousuien. The aesthetically beautiful three-storey house allows the maximum amount of sunlight to shine through its interior and at night, it transforms into a beautiful cube-like cocoon or a modernized lantern.
Despite its translucency, it is not entirely transparent as it has shadows and movement that can be seen from the outside. "The client can fully experience [the] change of the surrounding nature inside the house with a warm and bright space," say the architects on the translucent walls. The interior is extremely simplistic and minimalist with exposed concrete ceilings. Despite this, however, the wooden floor boards mixed with concrete offer a nice touch to the entire complex, offering a sense of home and coziness.
Translucently Porous Homes
The House of Tousuien is Completely Made of Translucent Polycarbonate
Trend Themes
1. Translucent Architecture - The rise of translucent architecture creates new opportunities for design innovation and energy efficiency.
2. Minimalistic Interior Design - The trend of minimalistic interior design is driving demand for innovative solutions that replace traditional design elements with lightweight materials that allow for enhanced natural lighting.
3. Sustainable Construction - The use of sustainable construction materials like polycarbonate not only enhances the aesthetics of buildings but also addresses issues around energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture and Design - Architects and designers can leverage the trend of translucent architecture to create new, innovative structures and transform existing ones.
2. Construction - The construction industry can utilize sustainable materials and adopt new techniques that enable them to construct buildings that are more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable.
3. Interior Design - Interior designers can incorporate minimalist design principles and lightweight materials to create aesthetically pleasing spaces that are energy efficient and promote natural light usage.