Rain Shelter House by Japanese firm Y+M Design Office accommodates a family of five in seven house-shaped blocks, all covered by a giant folded canopy.
Located at the foot of Mount Daisen in the Japanese city of Yonago, the house is designed to protect its occupants from the large amount of precipitation that occurs in the area throughout the year.
The architects conceived the home as a makeshift village, with clearly defined sections for each individual family member providing ample privacy and seclusion.
Blocks of various shapes and sizes are positioned around a communal courtyard, the largest accommodating a kitchen and dining area on the ground floor, with two children's rooms above accessible via a spiral staircase.
A bathroom and study are housed in another two-storey block, while two more bedrooms, the entrance lobby and a group of utility areas can be found in the four single-storey volumes.
The large asymmetrical roof covers all seven blocks, frames the open-air living space at the centre of the plan, and shelters both a terrace and the main entrance.
It also extends down to meet the ground level on the southern side of the building, shielding the house from the rain, as well as snow, wind and direct sunlight.
Courtesy Dezeen & Y+M Design Office
