As architects, we constantly strive to create spaces that not only stand beautifully on the land but also respect it. Our latest project, a net zero Engawa-inspired house, embodies that balance. Drawing from the traditional Japanese concept of blending indoor and outdoor spaces, this home is more than just a retreat—it’s a living, breathing extension of nature itself.
Concept sketches
The Origins of Japanese Engawa
The Engawa (縁側), a traditional element in Japanese residential architecture, dates back to the Heian period (794-1185), is a narrow wooden porch or veranda that runs along the exterior of a house, often facing a garden. Historically, Engawa served as a transitional space between the indoors and nature, allowing residents to enjoy the changing seasons and natural surroundings while remaining sheltered. Functionally, it served as an intermediate zone between the interior of the house and the garden, offering both shade and ventilation. Its minimalist and open design fosters a sense of connection with the outdoors while also creating a place for family to gather, relax, and share moments together. By blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, the Engawa reflects a deep respect for nature and promotes family bonding through shared, tranquil experiences.
Above: Illustration of historical medieval-period samurai residences (Kazuya Inaba and Shigenobu Nakayama). Below are examples of Engawa throughout Japan.
Japanese Engawa House Reimagined
One particular aspect of indoor-outdoor living in this house’s design draws inspiration from the ancient Japanese concept of Engawa. More poetically, it is an opportunity to merge functional indoor space with the surrounding landscape and forest. Borrowing from traditional Japanese architecture, the extended covered exterior corridor and courtyard ledge reach beyond the home’s walls, inviting visitors to step in and connect with the space.
The two rectangular-shaped living space blocks are split by the forested courtyard, making the connection between the two wings the hinge of the design. Here, at the hinge, is the main entry from the street, where the eye is drawn to the expansive tree-lined courtyard view upon entering the main living space. A large dining room shares the entry, so the families can literally gather in the center of the home.
The layout includes four connected blocks housing the kitchen, dining, living rooms, and primary suite, while additional bedrooms, a utility room, and a garage occupy the remaining blocks. The main house features a terrace with an outdoor kitchen, mudroom/laundry, and a gym, while a separate parents’ suite connects to the main house via the Engawa and includes two bedrooms.
On the south side, the concept of engawa expands as the living room spills outside to an exterior family room and kitchen, anchored by the indoor-outdoor wood-burning fireplace. A custom powder-coated steel trellis protects the terrace engawa and provides shade from the sun and shelter from the rain.
These renderings capture the connection between the two living spaces and the Engawa courtyard, with the path linking the main living space to the greenhouse.
Net Zero + Site Specific Engawa House Design
What does it mean to be net zero? Sure, there are technical aspects like insulation value, solar panels, and glass performance, but the design must respond to the site before concentrating on the technical details. Otherwise, even the best high-performance insulation can’t compensate for poor site planning.
Listening to the Site
We face challenges on this 3-acre suburban infill: a dense coniferous forest to the north, wetlands to the south, and a conservation buffer zone to the east. Despite these constraints, the design spreads its wings (literally) around the protected trees. It splits open in the center, letting the forest carve the floor plan into two wings centered around the Engawa forest courtyard. This arrangement provides all interior spaces access to southern light and orients itself for maximum cross ventilation and optimum solar energy capture. The serene courtyard, visible from all areas of the house, offers a space for reflection and provides a natural divide between the main family wing and the in-law wing. Drawing inspiration from Shinrin-Yoku (森林浴), the mindful practice of forest bathing, the design blends nature and architecture.
Matt walks through the project site, a refreshingly unconventional lot in Long Grove, Illinois, teeming with trees and shrubs. Nestled within the forested suburban lot, the home will stand out amid a sea of cookie-cutter houses in the surrounding subdivision. While the neighboring houses all follow the same uninspired blueprint, this net zero house is designed specifically for its site, blending into the natural landscape. Embracing the contours of the land and the surrounding trees, the home reflects a commitment to both sustainability and modern design.
Multi-Generational Living
Again, due to the creative floor plan layout, the home is set up perfectly for multi-generational living and strikes the perfect balance between privacy and togetherness. With separate living quarters for parents and flexible rooms throughout, it is a versatile space for the whole family.
There are two separate wings: one for our clients and their kids and another for the parents who will be living here full-time. Even though the in-law wing is on the opposite end of the house, it’s linked to the main space by a glass-enclosed walkway that doubles as a dining room. A clerestory roof extends from this central area into the kitchen and living room, flooding the interior with natural light and blending the indoors with the outdoors.
Exterior Materials
On the exterior, we’re using a mix of board-formed concrete, cement panels, and glass. Board-formed concrete is a construction technique where concrete is poured into temporary molds, usually made from wooden boards. As the concrete sets, it takes on the texture and pattern of the boards, resulting in a distinctive, decorative surface that showcases the grain and character of the wood used in the molds. The panels are sustainable, exceptionally durable, and long-lasting. Unlike wood or paint, they won’t rot, attract pests, or suffer from weathering. They’re also fire-resistant, giving an added layer of safety and peace of mind.
The grain and texture of each form board leave their mark, imprinting in reverse on the surface of the concrete
While developing the master plan, we evaluate possible building site locations and explore various design scenarios.
In the early phases of schematic design, we create several sketches to present different configuration possibilities to our clients. From there, we get their feedback, and refine the concepts into the final design.
