The Impact of Japanese Spatial Planning on Urban Homes — And Why I Design Houses as Living Systems, Not Objects, as a Designer

An open kitchen and dining space with floating shelves holding plants over a white island and round stools. Also pictured is a banquette dining space with a white dining table and matching chairs.

As a multidisciplinary design studio working between cultures, I've become increasingly aware that the way we design our homes reflects how we see our relationship with nature.

Today, that relationship is under strain. Climate change, overheating buildings, and a growing sense of disconnection from our surroundings are forcing us to question long-held assumptions about comfort and control. For me, this is where Japanese spatial planning and concepts like 'Ma' become not just relevant, but essential.