The Canal House is a family residence, fronting a canal and neighborhood street. The home integrates contemporary and traditional Japanese living spaces and construction methods.

The terraced façade of the Canal House references Shitomodo eave styles, traditionally found in houses along canals, which provide privacy and orient views to the landscape and water. While historical Shitomodo eaves consist of a wooden panel lightly supported by a bamboo pole, in the Canal House, the eaves and struts are cast from concrete; an unexpected inversion of heavy and light elements as a contemporary expression of traditional construction. Under each eave, a single Yoshino-style window acts as a lantern below the overhangs.