a large roof unifies a house of overlapping concrete spaces
Overlapping Spaces is a house in Okinawa, Japan, designed by IGArchitects as a composition of reinforced-concrete walls, columns, and a large roof. Rather than dividing the house into conventional rooms, the project creates a continuous spatial field by overlapping structural elements. Walls and columns define different degrees of enclosure, while the large roof unifies the spaces beneath it. The resulting architecture is composed of a series of spaces that are neither completely inside nor outside. Boundaries become ambiguous as views, light, air, and movement pass between the structural elements.
all images ©IGArchitects
Overlapping spaces define a flexible framework for living
The walls and columns are not treated simply as structural necessities. Their positions establish the rhythm, scale, and sequence of the house, while the roof creates a generous sheltered environment for everyday life. The project reduces the architecture to a small number of strong elements and allows their relationships to generate spatial richness. Instead of prescribing a fixed use for each room, the overlapping spaces provide a flexible framework for different activities and ways of living. Through this project, design studio IGArchitects explores how a strong structural order can coexist with openness and ambiguity, creating architecture that is both defined and adaptable.
