Articles by Miwa Negoro

This weekend retreat is set within a mountain forest, designed as a grounded place of dwelling immersed in nature. Typically, mountain vacation homes are elevated on slopes to offer stunning views, but through dialogues with the client, it became evident that being close to the ground, without detachment from nature, was more important than floating for the view.

Sailom House is a four-story home that accommodates members from three families. Anonym designs the inside to look and feel like a service apartment with functional spaces that each family member can use freely and separately on each floor. The first floor consists of common areas such as the living room and kitchen, while the upper floors house bedrooms, more living areas, and small pantries. Every story is linked together via two internal courtyards that open up into the void, running from the ground to the fourth floor.

The premise was an interpretation of an Australian Federation Farmhouse, sited on a hilltop in Carrickalinga. With extreme winds, we manipulated the traditional farmhouse, stretching the perimeter to a square, whilst removing the center for the courtyard. With the verandah on the ‘wrong’ side, we inverted the roof. This creates a low eave to the protected garden, allowing solar gain and solar access.

The Shin-Dae-Ri House in Hoengseong was designed for an elderly couple seeking to leave behind their long life in Seoul and settle into a quieter existence immersed in nature. The site is located in a small mountain village in Gangwon Province, where the land rises toward a wooded hillside at the back and opens toward a valley with a stream in front. Surrounded by layered mountain ridges, the house is conceived as a place where the couple can cultivate a garden, tend a small field, and experience the changing seasons as part of their daily life.

Located on the Great Ocean Road with a short walk down to Eagle Rock, the home’s namesake, this project sits amongst coastal walks, surf beaches, dirt roads, and sandstone cliffs.  A discreet and unassuming timber building, hidden in the back of a deep bush garden, this freestanding addition is a robust retreat to suit a family or couple for short-term stays. A private breakaway space from a larger holiday home that supports it.

One block back from the surf break at Moffat Heads, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, this compact (75m² internal area) home inhabits the rear of a classic beach shack. Inspired by our clients’ passion for camping, entertaining, and being outdoors, Moffat Morphing House was conceptualised as a sustainable, small-footprint house for a couple to enjoy in their semi-retirement. 

For the past nine years, the city of Kozhikode has come together to celebrate the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF). The festival unfolds across four days against the dramatic backdrop of the Arabian Sea. KLF draws over 5 lakh visitors, transforming the coastline into a vibrant cultural landscape. With Germany being the guest nation this year, it opened a unique opportunity to reimagine the deep-rooted relationship between Germany and Kerala.

Brick House is a recently completed private residence located in the heart of Pune’s dense urban fabric. Occupying a compact footprint of 4500 square feet, the design is a considered response to the spatial constraints and climatic challenges of its context. The project is rooted in a conscious reinterpretation of traditional Indian architectural principles while integrating a restrained material palette and passive design strategies suited for contemporary urban living.

This residence was designed for a client who relocated from the city to a rural highland area with the intention to work remotely. The site is characterized by a gentle slope that runs from the west side, which faces a road, to the east before dropping sharply. A small stream flows below, forming a modest valley. As a result, there is a significant distance between the residence and the nearest house, located across the valley, and the view on this side is marked by trees that cascade down the slope in a dense, layered arrangement. To make the most of these surroundings, the southeast corner of the residence was designed to accommodate a large picture window.

Taliru is a multigenerational residence designed for a family of five, grandparents, parents, and a teenage son who envisioned a home rooted in simplicity, continuity, and everyday comfort. Drawing inspiration from traditional courtyard houses, the project explores how light, ventilation, greenery, and water can become integral components of daily living rather than ornamental features. The design process evolved through close dialogue with the family, prioritizing lifestyle, cultural memory, and long-term adaptability over stylistic trends.