Hitoshi Saruta's Innovative Vacation House: The Circus

A Car-Loving Retreat with a Unique Architectural Design

Hitoshi Saruta's inspiration for 'The Circus' came from the simple but bold structure of a circus tent. The design comprises a large 24-sided volume with an independent volume inside, shaped like a large, round table forming the second story. The core that supports the tent has no posts, maintaining its tension through slanted outer walls.

The unique property of this design is its concept of "spending time with cars." Unlike a typical house with a built-in garage, Saruta's design aims to create a relaxed environment where boundaries between people, cars, and rooms are blurred. This innovative approach caters to the car-loving client and friends for whom the house was designed.

The circular design of 'The Circus' allows for flexibility and accommodates multiple layouts. It has no dead-ends and allows for free movement throughout the first story. The client's desire for a house that could be used in various ways gave rise to this extreme version of impracticality often sought in vacation homes.

Hitoshi Saruta's design has been recognized for its innovation and creativity. 'The Circus' was awarded Silver in the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2023. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.

The visual content of 'The Circus' was captured by Photographer Koji Fujii from TOREAL, whose work further highlights the unique architectural design of this vacation house.