Cutting Corners.

Coated with silver paint dusted with a shimmery powdered mica, the exposed metal frame is a defining feature of the interior, complementing the oil-finished teak flooring and lauan-plywood walls and ceilings. A roof terrace PHOTO (COLOR): A WALL of custom shelving at the entrance is illuminated by portable steel-encased lamps designed by the architects (right). BUILDING TYPE STUDY 1,028 RECORD HOUSES HISTORICALLY, solid walls that simply shut out the surroundings were a common coping mechanism for building on tight and unpredictable sites in Japan. [Extracted from the article]