House & Restaraung Maison Owl

An extraordinary example of Japanese "earth" architecture.

"It feels as though the building has existed for eternity—ten thousand years in the past and ten thousand more to come."

This cave-like labyrinth with arches and stalagmite-like columns serves as both a home and restaurant for a Japanese chef specializing in French cuisine. The architecture was designed around a sense of weight, massiveness, and longevity.

The entire process—from concept to completion—took a full nine years. First, cavities were dug into the ground to serve as molds for concrete pouring. Concrete was then poured inside, and once hardened, the surrounding soil was removed to reveal the intended shape of the building. After the "excavation" was complete, the plan was to clean the concrete walls of dirt. However, upon seeing how naturally the earth adhered to the surfaces, architect Junya Ishigami decided to leave the layer of soil on the walls and reinforce it.

Functionally, the space is divided into two main zones. The restaurant is located in the northern part, while the living quarters are in the southern section. Between them are three interior courtyards. Both zones are lined with glass set into arched openings, creating interiors that feel both sheltered and open—combining the massiveness of the structure with the lightness of natural light.

Name: House & Restaraunt Maison Owl / メゾン・アウル
City: Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Address: view the address
Architect: Junya Ishigami
Year: 2021

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