Located in downtown Hiroshima, this house by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP has an optical facade consisting of 6,000 pure-glass blocks. As the house is located on a street with many passing cars and trams, the blocks effectively shuts out the noise enabling the creation of an open, articulated garden that allows the residents to enjoy the changing light as the day passes. The transparent facade when seen from either the garden or the street appears like a waterfall scattering light as it flows downward. The garden is visible from all rooms and the serene, soundless scenery of the passing cars and trams adds a certain richness to the house. Sunlight from the east, refracting through the glass, creates beautiful light patterns and rain striking the water-basin skylight manifests water patterns on the entrance floor.