ASE, “Yamate 26” by Takuya Tsuchida | no.555

ASE is described by architect Takuya Tsuchida of no.555 as imperfect, but this descriptor is meant to convey character, history, and familiarity. The residence is built constructed around a retaining wall from approximately a hundred years past, and the masonry is now coated in a splotchy white through which the aged bricks still reveal themselves. A set of unfinished wooden stairs leads the ascent upstairs, and this wooden motif is mirrored by the exposed ceiling rafters and floors. A little bit of Western rusticity, including small touches such as hanging pendant lights and small potted plants, for the eastern flavor of Yokohama, Japan creates a homey hybrid in the house.