This contemporary townhouse in Osaka, Japan was completed in 2016. Designed to create a sense of wandering through the house rather than moving monotonously within it, FujiwaraMuro Architects segmented the house with split-level floors and staircases. The experience is one of multiple circulation routes and deep sight lines that maximise the sense of space within the narrow property.

A stainless-steel chain curtain veils the property’s façade, letting light in while protecting privacy during the day.

Photography: Toshiyuki Yono