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Multidisciplinary design office. Designing and crafting R-A HOUSE. A Design Guide to Japan available via the website.

25/08/2026

we’ve spent countless months on our lighting plan, going back-and-forth on the balance between too little light vs too much, (we have a preference for low light).

to help us with some final decisions, the team at INLITE New Zealand sent us samples of some products we plan to specify, which fortunately meant we could plug these in and test the lights in the space, thank you Inlite!

we’re working with a range including Inlite’s home brand and our favourite, Wastberg+

although R-A HOUSE has had delays, it’s surreal to be finalising decisions on so many visual elements at the moment. slowly but surely it’s all coming together…

30/06/2026

We’ve been a little quiet here as Dion quietly makes progress on R-A HOUSE and I’ve been shooting across Denmark and France.

While it’s front of mind, here’s my top 12 spots for Copenhagen:

CABIN — lined floor-to-ceiling in timber, cabincph is one of the cosiest spots for coffee and brunch.

SIMONE BOOK SERVICES — this independently owned bookstore recently opened and has a well-curated selection of books and magazines, Simone Book Services

PATIO — given Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a must, I highly recommend making a day of it by taking your bike on the train and cycling north from the museum; experiencing coastal architecture and stopping for a late lunch at PATIO

DYREHAVEN, DEER PARK — following lunch at Patio, catch the train down to Klampenborg and hop off for a whimsical cycle through the deer park.

PETRA HOTEL — beautifully designed rooms by &tradition, Petra Hotel is set within a restored 1943 building by Danish architect Kay Fisker. Also home to delightful cafe and restaurant petrarestaurant.cph

GRUNDTVIGS KIRKE — a breathtaking example of Danish expressionist architecture, constructed between 1921 and 1940, I believe this is one of Denmark’s most remarkable buildings.

APOLLO — wonderfully creative, flavoursome yet wholesome cuisine, APOLLO

NY CARLSBERG GLYPTOTEKET MUSEUM — one of Copenhagen’s most extraordinary pieces of architecture, housing an incredible collection of art and sculpture.

&TRADITION and LILLE PETRA — neighbouring &Tradition showroom and cafe; I loved getting lost in this beautifully renovated historic apartment and finishing with the pistachio honey BMO at Lille Petra Café | &Tradition

LOUISE ROE GALLERY and THE ROE BAR — a thoughtful gallery and café experience in one, and a place to drink from some of my favourite LOUISE ROE wine glasses.

BAR VITRINE* — an intimate eatery and wine bar designed by FRAMA and founded in collaboration with restaurateur Riccardo Marcon, and chef Dhriti Arora.

OPERA PARK — a beautiful public garden on Copenhagen’s harbour, perfect for a stroll while exploring the Holmen district.

*too distracted to take photos

Enjoy! — Biddi

01/06/2026

This photograph was taken late last year, our first visual aspect of the house being installed. Positioned internally at the corner where the over-wall sliders will meet, sits our galvanised post.

Fabricated by

11/05/2026

Akitsu Ryokan, nestled in the hills of Shiga Prefecture.

This charming accommodation (with shop and cafe attached) is easily accessible from major cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto — the perfect stop for those wanting to escape the urban environment and post up for a few quiet days in the Japanese countryside.

captured on 35mm

27/04/2026

R-HOUSE has a front door.

A few weeks ago, our window and door suite was delivered from

With most frames now installed, we’re currently preparing the large over-wall sliders positioned on the corner of the living space. Once these are in place, the remaining glass will be delivered.

The windows and doors have been an aspect of the house we’ve spent hours reviewing; considering light, scale and proportions, and materiality. A much anticipated milestone to be installing this suite and a huge thank you to for understanding our vision and working with us to achieve this.

14/04/2026

re-visiting some favourite sakura (cherry blossom) moments from Japan — mostly captured in Akizuki, a small town nestled in the hills of Kyushu, just an hour or so from Fukuoka City.

also including a slide of my favourite pink wall, and

04/04/2026

R-A House featured in Here Magazine, ‘Site Specific”.

Biddi was recently approached to style and shoot a project for .nz and it was suggested she do it on our site, such an honour.

We’re documenting our journey to share the ins and outs, learnings, and design>build process, but also to share the beauty found in construction and industrial spaces which is often overlooked.

The items included here were carefully selected to reflect the consideration we’re taking in each step of our building journey; although we’re at the stage of installing windows (months away from finishing the home), we’re always discussing materials, textures, tones, and product we’ll introduce when the project is complete. This shoot is a little insight into that.

A very special thank you to:nz

co

21/03/2026

Mt Fuji captured while traveling at around 280km/h on my way to

26/02/2026

From the outset, the design of our roof has been part of the overall vision of R-A House. Seeing it take physical shape this week brings a lot of our early ideas and concepts to life and underpins why materials, proportion, and detail have been a driving force in decisions to date.

17/02/2026

The Field Notes section of the Japan Guide is a curated collection of practical information and notes, gathered over the last twelve years. It’s full of guidance and insights to help you move confidently, navigate the day-to-day smoothly, and notice the nuances woven into everyday life.

What may seem unfamiliar at first often reveals itself as intentional and respectful, layered with history, beauty, and care; whether it’s how to line up for public transport, the scarcity of rubbish bins, or low voices in the streets.

Find the guide via the link in our bio.

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