The housing industry in Japan is quite different than most parts of the world. The average home is only 30 years old. Most homes depreciate quite rapidly and after 15 years have no value. With Japan’s frequent earthquakes and fires, homes are built more for style than longevity. The Japanese government doesn’t help matters either. Many housing codes are changed every 10 years, making it more economical for homeowners to teardown and rebuild as opposed to renovating to meet code changes. To facilitate this constant rebuilding, there are 7.5 times more architects per capita in Japan than in the United States. Below is a small 594-square-foot home built in Horinouchi, Japan. The architecture firm of Mizuishi Architects Atelier designed this tiny house to fit the small triangular lot that it sits on. The small lot forced them to maximize space and they also used a lot of windows to give it the feel of a much larger home.
