Welcome to our gallery highlighting the starkly modern Keyhole Project, a home designed by Eastern Design Office.

The name of this project comes directly from the look of the home itself: the facade has the shape of a keyhole. It’s been designed symbolically as a key to the house, standing along a narrow and densely packed street in Kyoto, Japan.

The structure is a relatively compact house for four people and two cats, with only 100 square meters of floor space. Thus, the design met the challenge of sorting out an efficient, open plan that would grant plentiful space and modern convenience to the residents.

Aside the key-like facade marking, the exterior of the home also features mortar with sumi ink applied, as well as simple color coding, seen in the red and purple hues used as an accent. The simple triangular roof adds another layer of personality to the structure.

You’ll notice seemingly random window arrangements across the home, with skylights and side windows placed at varying intervals and heights, for an unpredictable effect, helping define the shape of the home itself.

There is a thin steel eave affixed to the facade, appearing as if it is floating, which the key-shaped slit crosses over. A red wine-colored door punctuates the visual appeal as one approaches the entry. The facade is laid out like patterns designed on a jewel box. The cats will often be seen lying in the windows of this home, inviting anyone with the “key” to open the home.

Here’s a direct view of the front facade, with simple concrete steps leading to the red front door. The L-shaped “key” window wraps around the entry, bisected by the thin steel eave.

A closer look reveals the unique minimalist hardware on the door, as well as the dynamic created by the contrast between grey steel and pristine white exterior tones.

Looking back out from just inside the front door, we see a storage bench in the foyer painted the same red wine tone as the door. A slit of light moves in from the “key” window.

On the second floor, the central open space of the home sees an expanse of hardwood flooring next to a large format tile floor, surrounded by white. Here we can see the windows placed at varied heights and angles throughout the structure.

The wide open hall features a discreet light wood sliding panel to separate the grand groom. Simple embedded lighting and numerous windows illuminate the oddly shaped space.

Here we see one of the residents enjoying the bright space beneath one of the skylights. The end wall is bordered in soft grey, with a light natural wood shelf built in above a window.

Taking in the vertical view, we see the complex layering near the roof of the home, with a triangular void created over the eave. The skylights provide abundant natural lighting throughout the home, with varying angles.

Looking back toward the bedroom area, we see by the sliding wood panel that allows it to become a discrete space, as well as the rich green hued large format tile flooring defining the room.

The staircase fits natural hardwood flooring between narrow, monolithic white walls. This slim space allows for more functional room within the house.

The family’s feline companions enjoy the extraordinary open space and high ceilings within the home.

As we can see by the built-in cat tower extension, the family was very focused on making the home as perfect for the animals as it was for them.

Returning to the exterior of the home, we see it glowing at night from within, via the L-shaped “key” window. The small footprint and minimalist style of this home helps it stand apart in a crowded neighborhood.

With a wide corner angle, we see the constellation of windows cut seemingly randomly into the structure of the home. This compact structure holds a lot of useful indoor space, while standing cozy beneath the shadows of surrounding high rises.

With upward facing embedded exterior lighting, we see the subtle red shade of the thin steel eave that bisects the home. Little splashes of color and the unique windows give this home a lot of personality.