Lovely, A bit cold an sterile. Very hospital like. And I'm sure the smart glass feature forces you to keep your bathroom clean. But who would put toys and books over a 8ft high ledge with only a bed of jagged rocks to break your fall?

Great post, although the "AT editorial multiple personality disorder" is rather severe.

I thought the Japanese are traditionally very conservative... why would they want someone eating breakfast to watch them take a tinkle? Why would anyone?

Cool, I really like it, but I'd want the toilet a little more private!

Having grown up in an Eichler, this is the reason I have window coverings on all windows. TMI. Especially in a bathroom setting! yeesh!!

Yech...and to think I'm bothered by the 1/2" space around the doors in the bathroom stalls at work.

I am seriously disturbed by the open view of the bathroom! Who on earth wants to see someone, or be seen, on the TOILET??

This would be lovely if it was the view from the shower and tub.

This space is trying hard to be something, but I am not sure what that is. I am really enjoying the idea of the clean feel, mixed with the natural trees and rock, however, the concept needs to be further developed.

And, of course, some things are meant to be private- I would never want to be having breakfast and see my husband sitting on toilet taking care of business.

Totally gross in my bood.

love atriums.

hate seeing people going to the bathroom. especially when i'm cooking. how do i know this for a fact? my former neighbor had a bizarre habit of relieving himself up against his own wall.
not the appetizing sight one might think.

Do we know for sure that they don't have the automatically converting glass? They could, seeing as it's Japan and all...

ps: I think it's amazing. I'm surprised at all of the negative comments!

This is a GIPE. good idea poor execution.. open view of toilet from the kitchen? either these people don't cook or don't poop.

I think it's beautiful.

They just need a few more little trees for screening purposes. The placement of the existing trees suggests they were positioned to provide privacy. Perhaps they produced fewer leaves than expected?

I've been to Japan, and they are so private about toilet use that public toilets have a button you can push to make an eletronic rushing water sound to hide the tinkling. Private toilets have actual rushing water (and built-in bidet!) So... I REALLY do not get seeing, hearing and smelling the toilet from above... not to mention the kitchen! I think there is a piece missing from this puzzle... like special hide-away glass or special layouts that are not evident from the photos. It would be nice if the author could enlighten us about this. Also, the loose rock driveway in the last photo is highly unpractical for high-heeled designer Italian shoes - which is what all Japanese women wear outside the home (kimonos are only for special occasions).

All that aside... love the kitchen and the atrium idea!

I bet they only sit on that ledge over the rocks for the purposes of the photos. It looks uncomfortable and dangerous.

Seeing the toilet from the kitchen, big ewwwwwwwwww.

I think this home is beautiful. And if the room on the other end of the atrium was a library I'd be asking when I can move in! BUT, it's a bathroom with no visible way of making it, well, LESS visible. Which I'm guessing there must be some sort of screen or something and we just weren't shown it for some reason??? Otherwise it's a big NO in my book. Some things are meant to be private and separate from all things "food".

love it, even with the 'privacy issues'. if smart glass is not an option, it can also be frosted. we live in an eichler and i've put 'frosting' (peel & stick) on a couple windows and also used it for decoration as well. :D (thanks ikea!)

The one thing I hate about my own home is the bathroom can be seen from the living room. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten my children in the habit of closing the door every time leave the bathroom. (My youngest asks "But how will I know if anyone is in there when I need it?")

So... Atrium? Sure! Full view of the bathroom? No thanks!

bad fung shui.

Concept house, way too stark for real life. (No storage, no furnishings, not habitable.) So, taken as such, I do like the integration of the Japanese garden with the actual home.

But the bathroom glass requires frosting, at the least -- and that changes the design. It needs furnishings, and that modifies the look too. The more it becomes livable, the less sleek and stark it becomes, until all that spiffy architecture is secondary to the people and life within.

Might make an interesting hotel or guest suite, with appropriate minimalistic furnishings...

This is an excellent house for those who are weight conscience because no one would be hungry after watching their partner take a dump.