Spec-built house in Hase, Kamakura

In Hase, Kamakura, overtourism is transforming a historic residential area valued for its tranquility. Rather than subdividing this 350 m² site, we preserved it as a single residence and used architecture to edit “what residents see” and “what others cannot see.” Inward-facing openings protect privacy while admitting light and air; upstairs, generous spaces frame the forests of Kamakura, while the rooftop opens to the Shonan sea. The house preserves the value of living amid Kamakura’s history and nature while proposing a new response to Japan’s shrinking population: from an era of expanding our towns to an era of contracting them beautifully.