This is a small project yet it is simple and hit the concept. Designed by the self-taught Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Azuma House in Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan; replaces one of the traditional houses in this area built in wood.

The big contrast of the project itself between the traditional houses but in a dense urban core of Osaka row-houses. This narrow concreate rectangular row house seems brutal.

What I like about this project is how Tadao Ando created the courtyard space to let the light from the open sky making a small courtyard where it linked the two parts of the row house by a bridge.

Thinking about the normal rowhouse, if it's not having the part open to the sky,it will be so dense and dark and has poor ventilation.The only source of good light and ventilation is to open the top part of the house.Following the roof traditions, most row house doesn't have exact openning to the sky at the top.Yet this is a good example of how the simple thing can be done with good purpose on its concept of light.

This concrete box row house is two storeyed with the living room and kitchen located on the ground floor separated by the central courtyard and having the staircase leads to the upper floor that the two bedrooms are linked by a walkway or a bridge. Here the concrete box has no window and the central courtyard is the only source of natural light and ventilation.The reinforced concrete is the only ornamentation for the facade.The presence of a door infront suggests the use of this box.