Case-Real's House in Nagatoro sits at the base of a mountain
Japanese studio Case-Real has completed a small timber-clad cabin at the base of Mount Kamafuse in Saitama Prefecture (+ slideshow).
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_9.jpg)
Case-Real, the architecture studio led by designer Koichi Futatsumata, designed the single-storey House in Nagatoro to subtly reference the "beautiful silhouettes" of the nearby mountain by creating a gently angled roof.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_26.jpg)
"The roof may look like a simple gabled roof, instead it is a combination of two shed roofs in different length and height connected with an adjusted angle," said the design team, who also recently completed a combined patisserie and wine bar.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_28.jpg)
"This gives a volume to the structure seen from the west side where the approach is, to naturally follow the silhouette of the mountains," they added.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_8.jpg)
From the front the house appears as a simple rectilinear block, but walking around its perimeter reveals a rear extension that houses living, dining and kitchen areas. This frames a pair of private terraces at the north-east and south-east corners of the plot.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_7.jpg)
The base of the building is raised off the ground on a simple concrete plinth. Steps at the front lead residents towards their front door, which sits in a wall recess beneath a protruding canopy.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_3.jpg)
This leads through to a corridor that spans the entire width of the building, providing access to every room and dividing spaces at the front from the living area at the back.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_21.jpg)
"The wide hallway running through the two volumes functions as the axis to connect the private and public spaces of this house," said the designers.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_11.jpg)
Windows have been added along all four sides of the buildings, framing views of the surrounding landscape and nearby allotments, as well as of the mountain beyond.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_10.jpg)
"The beautiful mountains are used as a borrowed scenery looking from the inside through the windows," added the design team.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_13.jpg)
The 119-square-metre house was built to a modest budget. The framework is wooden and the external walls are clad in softwood planks, while the interior has a white plastered finish with a wooden floor covering.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_29.jpg)
Walls slide open to provide access to three bedrooms, each with their own built-in storage. The bathroom is shared by all residents, and is divided up into a dressing room, a washroom and a WC.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_2.jpg)
The kitchen forms the heart of the living area, separated by low partitions. A dining table runs along one edge of the space, while one corner provides a private study area facing out through a window.
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_468_0.jpg)
Photography is by Hiroshi Mizusaki.
Project credits:
Design: Case-Real – Koichi Futatusmata and Yasushi Arikawa
Structural Engineer: Hirofumi Ohno
Design Cooperation, Construction: Moriya-yashio building firm
Lighting: Tatsuki Nakamura(BRANCH lighting design)
Furniture: E&Y
![House in Nagatoro by Case-Real](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/10/House-in-Nagatoro-by-Case-Real_dezeen_1.gif)