
I have always loved the idea of a house with a central open-air courtyard. It would be so nice to have your own private slice of nature right in the middle of your home! After seeing this house in Buzen, Japan, though, I realize that there is more than one way to bring the outdoors in.
Click through the jump to find out more and see more pictures!
This amazing house by Japanese firm Suppose Design Office gives the illusion of several free-standing, wood-clad rooms being connected by outdoor corridors and courtyards. In fact, the entire structure is covered by a glass ceiling giving the family who lives there the feeling of being outside every time they venture from one room to another. Pretty neat, huh?
Click here for lots more photos of this inventive house!
Would you ever want to live in an indoor/ outdoor house like this?
Image Credit: Design Boom

Commercial Flour Sa...
I. WANT. IT. NOW.
Pleease?
Depends on the climate. I imagine that roof leaks heat like a sieve, and the same for A/C. But in areas where the winter and summer are mild and/or short, ooooh...I want.
As an architect I love the concept behind this design; the designer has to think about residential layout as well as the layout as it pertains to a micro-urban unit. Its like living in an urban block with open courtyards! Love the natural light and opportunity for circulation...I'd ride my bike here too :)
I was going to comment, but there's so much spam to sift through I changed my mind.
A living floor of moss would be nice in a house like this. It's really too bad most houses aren't like this, because it is like a dream come true.
If the glass ceiling was one-way mirror glass (reflective to the sky) then maybe the heat would be deflected mostly.
I like the idea and the mass of natural light, but who is cleaning all the roof "windows", and how?
Definitely cool. Could do with some talllll outdoor shrubbery for privacy, though. Maybe bamboo.
perfect
Wow, what happened to AT with all the spam?
I think the house is great. Don't think it would do too well in really hot climates, but I think a place like Seattle would be great.
Just make sure you're not on the toilet when the Google satellite snaps your picture :)
Love it in theory. Then, I think about the mosquitos.