This house named Krampon is nestled on a rocky location in Hyogo, Japan. It's one of the most ingenious projects by Japanese architect Shogo Aratani.

The two-storey structure is designed for an 11-meter change of level, front to back, and is divided into a string of blocks staggering up the natural line of the hill slope. “We decided to place volumes along the sloped ground to minimise excavation,” said the architect. “We designed the spatial sequence in relation to the landscape by placing three volumes along contour lines.”

Situated within a natural scenery, trees around it have been fully integrated into the final design, but the rock that did get excavated was reintroduced in the system serving mainly as part of the enclosing pavement and steps leading to the main entrance.