Over the past decade, Niseko has become an international melting pot that has resulted in a concentration of cross-cultural phenomena otherwise unseen in Japan.
OOAK, a contemporary, four-seasons Niseko resort residence, celebrates the confluence of Japanese and international architectural design and thought occurring in this unique environment within the otherwise homogenous nation.
Photos | Ikuya Sasaki
”The soaring home sits on a ridge, minutes’ drive from the Niseko United ski resorts, surrounded by forest with panoramic views of the undulating countryside.
OOAK is an acronym for “one of a kind” and is the second house to which prominent Hong Kong architect, interior and product designer Steve Leung has attached the name. The first was a holiday home on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island.
Steve Leung Design Group is a publicly listed company founded in 1997, however when Leung ventured to build his own home in Niseko, he sought out the vision, style and expertise of Hokkaido architect Makoto Nakayama (nA Nakayama Architects). Leung was introduced to Nakayama-san’s work following a stay at Niseko ryokan retreat Zaborin. So impressed with the experience was he that he sought to learn more about the Hokkaido-born architect’s work.
”This is my dream house and because I’m an architect, I wanted to have a very good architect work with me. Nakayama-san is the best of the best.
“We enjoyed working together and I learned a lot from him. I hope perhaps he also learned from me,” says Leung.
Before starting the project Nakayama-san wondered if the two architects’ opinions might clash, however it appears to have turned out to be a collaborative dream. “We have similar sensibilities and mutual respect for each other, which moved the project in a better direction,” Nakayama-san says. “The architecture and interiors became a highly complete work. Steve is a very sensitive designer who goes through iterative stages, considering the design from all directions. He makes decisions by considering over and over again with the scale ruler and sketches. This manual style is more disciplined than how I work. The same applied to meetings with my staff. I was deeply impressed by this.”
The result is a contemporary Japanese residence in Nakayama-san’s signature crafted, modern style, developed over his 40-year career including 15 years designing some of Niseko’s premier modern resort homes and buildings.
”Nakayama-san’s style is timeless, characterised by clean lines and simple form that pay homage to traditional Japanese architecture of centuries gone by.
At the same time he aims to create liveable spaces that embrace nature.
Based in Hong Kong, Leung now calls Niseko his second home. He wanted OOAK to be of its place, incorporating Japanese elements inspired by his own relationship with the country, as well as those injected by Nakayama-san’s vision.
The home is made up of two hinged wings that follow the form of the hillside to ensure minimal disruption to surrounding landscape and forest. Despite a total floorspace of 600sqm, it has just three large bedrooms, the master suite 94sqm, and each room with en suite and huge Japanese-style bath. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapping the bedroom and living areas incorporate nature into the lifestyle experience.
There is no television in the upstairs living area because Leung believes time in Niseko should be spent enjoying the elements, listening to music, cooking and dining, and spending time with friends and family. Other features of the house include karaoke, cigar and massage rooms.
This article appeared in Powderlife 2021
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