Masayoshi and Yoko Matsumoto wanted a home designed for cats, because they love their cats and because they believe what’s good for cats is good for people.

Architect Hosaka Takeshi created a house called “Inside Out” that is nearly completely open to the surrounding nature. The bedroom and bathroom are enclosed in separate boxes on the ground floor. The living room/kitchen sits on top of the boxes and is completely open to the outdoors, though sliding glass doors can be closed during bad weather.

At first the Matsumotos had trouble understanding Takeshi’s Swiss-cheese style home design (both the walls and ceiling are littered with openings), but over time they have fallen in love with the space where nature seeps inside. Rain, snow, wind, bugs, birds all enter the space.

“They wanted the house to be designed with an environment which is favorable for the cats where they can go about freely and also have the natural elements coming in,” explains Takeshi. “If it’s suitable and nice for the cats it’s probably also nice and enjoyable for us humans.”