Fortress Houses in Japan
They give nothing away. There is no clue as to what kind of person lives behind these blank walls, apart from the fact that privacy matters to them. There will be no hint of personality betrayed by a curtain that frames a window or a patch of garden out front. They seek to be inscrutable.
Perhaps one might permit a pattern of cutout windows to relieve the severity of form.
Another might allow for a small tree in front to soften the harsh lines.
Such residences pique my curiosity. What would it be like to live in a house that turns its back so completely on the world? Would you never want to leave, or would you be eager to escape its confines? What would one find once past those stark exteriors? A cosy family home? Or more minimalism?
If I ever had a chance, I would ask the owners of a fortress house if they miss looking out of windows.
