Aiming Inc. is a Japan-based game developer responsible for hits like Dragon Quest Tact and CARAVAN STORIES. They wanted to bring in more revenue from their newest hit, Charast Magical Academy a spin-off app of the hit game "CARAVAN STORIES, but had never used an ad monetization model - so the ironSource team helped them get started.ironSource’s Yusuke Toyoshima and Shuichiro Mine sat down with Aiming, to learn all about why they chose ironSource rewarded video and the Tapjoy offerwall, what they learned, and how they managed to boost their engagement rate 80% in the process.Choosing to work with ironSourceMine: This was the company’s first time using ad monetization, right?Saito: Yes. Aiming has a stance that when we see good market trends, we want to adopt and test it by ourselves - so it was only natural to start monetizing with ads. Originally, our company specialized in midcore games, but there were already many competing apps in the market. To generate a stable source of revenue, we decided to develop a hybrid revenue model (in-app purchase and ads) based on "CARAVAN STORIES," which already has a large fan base.Mine: Now you’re monetizing with ironSource and using Tapjoy’s offerwall - why did you decide to go with us?Sakaino: This was our first time integrating ads into our app, so we needed a platform that offered extensive support and a full suite of products. We compared companies from all over the globe, but ironSource was the only one completely that fulfilled our needs.Yusuke: We're glad you chose us! Sakaino: We felt the support immediately - the ironSource quickly responded and drafted financial projections for us.Mine: Publishers who integrate ads in their apps for the first time often don’t have enough information about performance benchmarks. Since ironSource has experience across all game genres in Japan and globally, we can provide our customers with practical ad monetization plans.Sakaino: There were other local options with good products for early-stage companies, but we wanted to get as much operational know-how as possible. That's why we chose ironSource - they offer a variety of report data with a UI that allows us to intuitively understand what’s important at first glance. There was a strong connection between Aiming’s attitude of "challenge new trends and accumulate know-how" and ironSource's push to "provide actionable data for publishers."Mine: At ironSource, we care about providing actionable data. In the long run, we think it is very important to understand the factors behind fluctuations - not be overwhelmed by the ups and downs of CPMs. Ad revenue is always important, but what’s most important for publishers is the success of the game itself. We provide data in a format and UI that every publisher can understand - not just the specific person in chargePerforming beyond expectationYusuke: How was the integration process?Sakaino: It took about two weeks to develop and integrate rewarded video and offerwall into our game. Since the dashboard was easy to understand, even for beginners, we were able to issue and set up placements in one day.Suzuki: From the planning phase, everyone on the team had a shared strategy of how to put ads into our game - so I think it went really smoothly.Mine: I feel that your monetization and game management teams work seamlessly together. For many publishers, this can be challenging - different teams usually have different goals and opinions.Sakaino: Since I joined the project, from the game planning phase to leading ad monetization, I think everyone, including the development team, shared a common goal.Suzuki: It may seem unusual to have someone in charge of ad monetization during the planning phase. Normally people tend to give higher priority to their own department, so perhaps our company's strength is the way that each department can share and coordinate all goals.Yusuke: How was the ad revenue performance?Sakaino: The result was much better than we expected. eCPM for ironSource rewarded videos was more than double our original estimation, and engagement rate reached 80% - even though our original estimation was 65%.Mine: Since the players are mainly from "CARAVAN STORIES," the user quality may be different from the other casual game players. If your game has been around for a while and has a certain income level, eCPM might be higher as a result.Sakaino: I think that’s right.Suzuki: Since the game story is a prequel about the lives of popular characters, fans are highly motivated to play.Mine: It's a successful app strategy for using IP (intellectual property).Sakaino: Tapjoy’s offerwall also performed better than we originally expected. Especially in the beginning, it performed better than the rewarded videos.Yusuke: Since Offerwall provides bigger rewards than rewarded videos, it’s particularly compatible with games that have many users who are willing to pay.Saito: In particular, Android has good KPI compatibility with the offerwall. Android users usually have a lower retention rate, but the offerwall increased revenue and stabilized it.Showing ads to domestic and global usersMine: Did you get any negative user feedback about ads?Sakaino: I don't think there were any noticeably negative reactions.Mine: The key to user-initiated ads like rewarded videos and offerwall is motivating the users to see the ads. "Charast Magical Academy" was designed to use ad monetization from the start, so I think it shows ads to users in the best way possible.Suzuki: Since we set the right rewards for both the offerwall and rewarded video, users connect with the ads and feel satisfied with them.Saito: The rewards we offer are valuable to users. To ensure that users who want to receive rewards don’t miss them, we added badges to places where there are ads that have not yet been seen, and added a jump button that auto-scrolls to that point. However, it seems that some new users thought that they couldn't progress in the game without clearing the ads, so now we only display badges for users who have progressed to a certain stage.Yusuke: I see.Saito: Impressions grew about 2.5x the normal rate during the offerwall's currency sale, but when we displayed the badge on the game screen and directed users to the ad page, it grew 8x - a huge revenue increase.Yusuke: It's a device that tells users that an offerwall event is currently being held.Sakaino: Also, Charast Magical Academy is only available on Japan’s app store, but some overseas fans download and play it. Thanks to the Tapjoy offerwall’s global support, it’s been great to be able to show global ads and rewards to overseas users.Yusuke: Global support is the Tapjoy offerwall's strength. There is no need to separate campaigns, and global ads are automatically displayed for access from overseas, to accommodate overseas users. Also, the offerwall is optimized with an algorithm to automatically display ads that users are interested in on the top of the list, so publishers can maximize their revenue without spending too much time and effort.Continuing to use ad monetization modelsMine: What are your plans for the future?Sakaino: We are satisfied with ironSource’s usability and profitability, and will continue to use both their rewarded video and the Tapjoy offerwall. For the offerwall, thanks to their global support and compatibility with Apple/Google’s regulations - we’re sticking with Tapjoy.Yusuke: That's great news for us.Saito: We plan to continue releasing games with an ad revenue model. Thanks to our new know-how from Charast Magical Academy, I'm including ads in all the proposals for our new games. Since it generates additional revenue and doesn’t discourage in-app purchases, there’s no reason to not use it.Sakaino: In the future, it would be nice to have a verification function that can segment users according to their in-app purchase status and level of loyalty, and optimize ads accordingly.Thank you to Mr. Sakaino, Mr. Suzuki, and Mr. Saito for participating in the interview. And congratulations on your half anniversary!

Sosho-Kan at Kyoto University of the Arts / Takenaka CorporationSave this picture!© Taizo FurukawaUniversity•Kyoto, Japan Architects: Takenaka Corporation Area Area of this architecture project Area:  3778 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Taizo Furukawa Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:  Kunishiro Tiles, YKK AP Lead Architects: Masataka Nakamura, Mai Yanagida, Masashi Suzuki More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The new academic building of Kyoto University of the Arts, which sits across their main campus by Shirakawa Road - one of Kyoto's major north-to-south arteries - is accessible to many locally owned businesses and residential areas. The Sosho-kan building is designed to bring their newly established department to life. The four-year art education program serves as a place for students to study and embed their memories and sense of place with other students and faculty members.Save this picture!Save this picture!As architects, the concept of bringing life into this new faculty building was inspired by the lively interactions among students creating art through fragments of open spaces in the existing main campus, such as the external staircases leading to the classrooms, sun-shaded spaces near the vestibules, and small alcoves that naturally serve as meeting points. The idea of continuity in designing spaces and bringing connections to the outdoors, to feel a sense of community, and expand the view to bring the memories of campus life into this four-story building, we wanted to create a place where students' college memories can be deeply embedded.Save this picture!This four-story brick-tiled reinforced concrete building consists of three simple horizontal layers: commons, corridor, and rooms, running parallel to the main Shirakawa road. From this axis, they intersect perpendicularly with brick-tiled walls with symbolic arches that break the monotonal central corridor and bring in-and-out openings to offer glimpses of daily activities. The continuous series of designed arches in these brick tiles forms a symbolic visualization. The crossings serve an alley running into the streets, bringing intimacy to classrooms and restrooms, a micro-scale experience of a university campus.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The eastern layers of common spaces are designed to foster spontaneous encounters and offer students a sense of connection and belonging. At the heart of the building is a large four-story atrium with a glass-block skylight, with connected interior and exterior brick-tiled walls, which serves as the main circulation hub for students and fills the space with soft, indirect natural light streaming in from the skylight. In summer, cooled air from the underground floors is drawn into the ventilation system to reduce the external thermal load, while in transitional seasons, the air handling units on each floor can be switched off to ventilation to bring in natural air. This design not only creates visual openness to the atrium but also strengthens the connection to the outside.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The volumes in the northeastern part of the building are stepped back due to northern regulation lines, creating small terraces that serve as a transitional zone between inside and outside. These terraces further enhance the connection to nature and provide informal gathering spaces. The site is also connected to a small street running perpendicular to Shirakawa Road, which serves as a welcoming threshold to the bicycle spaces underground. This small campus building connects the campus and nature, capturing moments of interaction and a sense of community throughout their four years of student life. Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Kyoto, JapanLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeTakenaka CorporationOffice••• MaterialBrickMaterials and TagsPublished on May 20, 2025Cite: "Sosho-Kan at Kyoto University of the Arts / Takenaka Corporation" 20 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030320/sosho-kan-at-kyoto-university-of-the-arts-takenaka-corporation&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Akiba756 Member Oct 1, 2020 1,600 Sao Paolo, Brazil So, there was a dumb controversy a few months ago, when E33 unveiled its MSRP of 50 dollars, some were wondering if there was a "catch" (the game is super short, unpolished, etc.) to the point that it's developer had to came foward to clarify things (which goes to show how cynical everyone is now). Expedition 33 Dev Confirms $50 Price Is Correct, '30+ Hours of Main Game' Wants as many people as possible to play RPG www.pushsquare.com So obviously, we now know that there is no catch, the game is a serious goty contender, but that had me curious, had the game been sold for 60 or even 70 bucks, do you think it would have achieved the same financial success? Obviously, less people would've bought it at launch, but considering the latest sales figure, 2 million, had it been sold at 70 bucks, it would need to sell roughly 1,43 million units to result in the same revenue, could it have reached that?  Last edited: Today at 9:02 PM Pikagreg Member Feb 5, 2018 513 I think the cheaper price definitely helped a lot of people but I think the game is worth full price a lot more than a lot of other things I end up buying.   DontHateTheBacon Unshakable Resolve Member Oct 27, 2017 14,472 Short answer: critically it would still be hugely successful and commercially, less successful but still a huge success.   808s & Villainy Member Oct 27, 2017 46,629 Of course anew IP from an unknown first time indie studio wouldn't do as well at $70 as it did at $50...   colorboy Member Apr 5, 2025 169 If by "successful" you mean "units sold" then no.   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 132,763 No. Absolutely not. I think it still would've wound up in the zeitgeist but it would not have sold nearly as many copies.  Stone Ocean Member Oct 25, 2017 3,354 For me the price made it go from keeping an eye on it to an instant impulse purchase so I'd go with "no"   Khanimus Avenger Oct 25, 2017 46,440 Greater Vancouver It still would've sold, but obviously not as many as it has so far.   R3ndezvous Member Dec 17, 2024 1,338 As quick? No I don't think so. The price and word of mouth regarding the game being amazing, just made it a easy instant buy with that price being the threshold Moreover, I got the game for less than €44.95 at launch and the "gamble" paid off :)  cursed knowledge Member Mar 15, 2019 3,594 Brazil hell nah dawg the cheaper you go the more units you sell  Dyno AVALANCHE The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 16,779 I mean, I probably wouldn't have bitten at that price since I had other options then too, but that said I also think there's some, I guess shortcomings compared to AAA, where I'd have been much more critical if it was full priced. The level design for one doesn't feel up to AAA standards even at the lower end. It would still be successful is my guess but I also don't think it quite holds up for AAA pricing in some areas if it were to have launched at it.  Vincent Grayson Member Oct 27, 2017 7,356 Mount Airy, MD I got far more than 30 hours out of it, and wouldn't have balked at paying "full" price. But I think it's a given that at a higher price fewer people would check out a new title from a new developer. Perhaps moreso with it also being on Game Pass. I often wonder how much the game's price factors into the GP effect. Like, if I try something I wouldn't have bought otherwise and like it, I might buy it to support the developer further. That's *far* less likely with a game that's $70, simply on a practical level.  Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,600 No but probably would still have sold somewhat decent based on reviews   Mobius and Pet Octopus Member Oct 25, 2017 16,771 The game is definitely worth 70 or more, so people who bought it basically got a really good deal. Obviously value is subjective, and I'm not commenting on the hypothetical, but I wouldn't be complaining if I bought the game for 70 or even 80 because it's that special.   AAION Member Dec 28, 2018 2,006 I would have waited at $70   jitteryzeitgeist Member May 26, 2023 9,115 A quiet place I think it would've had less initial sales, but relatively the same given enough time. What really helped Sandfall was the sprint to 2 million, though. That's huge.  kami_sama Member Oct 26, 2017 7,543 I bought it the day reviews hit because it was cheap. Even if it's a great game, were it more expensive I'd have waited.  UraMallas Member Nov 1, 2017 24,425 United States Absolutely yes.   Geode Keeper of the White Materia Member Oct 27, 2017 5,476 Nope.   Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,722 Still successful but definitely not as much, nope.   Mekanos ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 17, 2018 48,536 I think $50 was impulse buy territory with the strong WOM. $70 I'm not sure. Only the studio could probably tell you the ROI.   Z-Brownie Member Nov 6, 2017 4,347 it sold quite well but i think the word of mouth and the reveals would make it sucessful anyway.   Shryke Member Oct 26, 2017 3,350 Hell no. I got it at $40. Easy choice right there. If it was higher, I'd wait for a long while. I'm sure others would too.   NotLiquid One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 37,848 Eventually. Probably. Hard to tell from my own perspective because despite people gassing up that it launched at an economical price, I already didn't buy it at $50.  Linus815 Member Oct 29, 2017 24,084 obviously not lower price = more impulse buys, lower barrier of entry  -orion- Member Oct 27, 2017 132 Anecdotally, I wouldn't buy before a sale if it was $70... so I think the price maybe plays a small part in the success  Yerffej Prophet of Regret Member Oct 25, 2017 29,419 um no   Joule Member Nov 19, 2017 4,947 Yep, sales would've been nigh identical. This is the 2025 version of that *one* game that seems to catch that "wave" and blows up thanks to WoM, internet discussion, twitter, streamers and just the general cultural zeitgeist. Nothing was gonna stop this train from reaching 2(?) million sales [as of this post]. Incredibly lucky and seems to happen to 1-2 games per year. This one also happens to be well received by critics.   Desma "This guy are sick" Member Oct 27, 2017 6,754 I wouldn't had brought it, but I think it would   Rosebud Two Pieces Member Apr 16, 2018 51,162 Nope. In US it's "only" $20, but in my country for example Clair Obscur is half the price of Doom. Insane difference.  Nano-Nandy Member Mar 26, 2019 2,840 Game's really good, but there's no denying that the price helped.   ElFly Member Oct 27, 2017 3,736 no at full price people wouldn't have overlooked the many limitations and technical faults of the game  Renteka-Bond Chicken Chaser Member Dec 28, 2017 6,030 Clearwater, Florida No and anyone saying yes, I think, has not been paying attention. It is absolutely worth the $70 bucks. People will not buy it for $70 though AND people will judge it more harshly at $70 since a lot of the facets of the game that are adorably quaint in a cheaper 'indie' dark horse story would be reviled at a higher pricepoint. Edit: It's a large part of why the narrative of "Square / Big devs should just copy Clair, look at how this worked out!" is annoying, because people are seemingly either unaware or unable to admit the obvious generosity they're giving Clair here.  Dust C H A O S Member Oct 25, 2017 40,978 $50 is impulse price point, the WoM is absolutely insane so it's really easy to jump in.   RpgN Member Oct 25, 2017 1,796 The Netherlands Nope, I would have waited on the game with a deep sale. The price along with the word of mouth is what got me to play day one. Word of mouth would have not been enough alone.   Mason56 Member Feb 8, 2024 153 I mean in terms of pure numbers sold…no. Just about everything would be more successful it were cheaper   tucah Member Oct 25, 2017 1,501 AS successful? No. Still successful? Absolutely   HellofaMouse Member Oct 27, 2017 8,360 i sure wouldnt buy it week 1 as soon as the reviews were out   Raskol Member Sep 5, 2018 845 No. Its price was one of the main reasons I picked it up now instead of later.   Alek Games User Researcher Verified Oct 28, 2017 9,797 Higher priced items very obviously tend to sell less units. I don't think this is a sensible question. The question is, if the game was one of those higher priced titles, would it still have sold enough units to generate the same revenue, as it has at the lower price. And the answer is not one that anyone on this forum can give. Because we can't know. But, to try and answer this I think it's worth considering the appeal of the lower price tag the factors that consumers are considering when making a purchase. So, most consumers are inherently risk averse by default, so they'll avoid spending if they think there might be a risk that they won't have a good time. In relation to that there are a couple of components worth discussing. 1) It's a new IP. So this means that people aren't coming into it with strong expectations about the games quality. 2) It was received very well by critics and social media influencers. I think people are more guarded with new IPs but because it was received so well, that component that would encourage a risk aversive attitude towards the game, actually gets flipped. Suddenly, people are very excited to play a new IP that's good, because they haven't had that experience in some time. I think this also heightened excitement around the game on social media, allowing it to reach more people as influencers were keen to talk about this game that seemed to come out of nowhere. So, I think in this case, it would have been likely to perform well at a higher price point too. Obviously it would have sold fewer units as some players were literally priced out, but I suspect it would have seen similar revenue. Because they've built that relationship with players, I would probably expect a sequel to target a higher price point.  Brawly Likes to Brawl Member Oct 25, 2017 16,523 Ryohei Suzuki's bedroom No. It being in the impulse buy range on top of the WoM gave it crazy momentum. I fully expect the sequel to be $70 because now it's a known and highly regarded property.  Gestault Member Oct 26, 2017 14,681 I don't think we can ever really know, but speaking personally, I don't buy $70 games unless there's some major draw (which is almost never), so I definitely wouldn't have grabbed it during this launch window. I happily grabbed a hard copy after loving what I played through Game Pass.   Mekanos ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 17, 2018 48,536 NotLiquid said: Eventually. Probably. Hard to tell from my own perspective because despite people gassing up that it launched at an economical price, I already didn't buy it at $50. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I didn't either, but that was more a function of already having too many RPGs to play. If it hits $30 that's probably my impulse buy range.   OnionPowder Member Oct 25, 2017 10,838 Orlando, FL No way. I think the $50 price tag is a bigger factor than people realize. Especially right as Nintendo and Microsoft announce $80 games.   carlsojo Shinra Employee Member Oct 28, 2017 37,551 San Francisco I think word of mouth would have carried it to commercial success regardless of the price.   HolyJonte AVALANCHE Member Aug 31, 2023 1,290 From Stockholm but now living in Padova, Italy Nope. The game is fantastic but a very big part of the record breaking user score that made much of the hype is the goodwill behind it being a new developer, old ubisoft employees, small team and the price tag. With a full price title it would probably have been much less talk about it.   kowhite Member May 14, 2019 7,454 I don't know. I don't necessarily believe it couldn't have succeeded at that price. I mean they didn't price it at 50 bucks cause they knew it would be received this way.   Splinky Member Jul 12, 2023 133 Obviously it would sell fewer copies guys. The real question is if it would've ended up with more or less revenue overall I lean toward "no". And I think a lower price point + GP makes a lot of sense for a debut studio that wants to get their name out there.  JRedCX Member Nov 10, 2020 1,277 Yeah   Universal Acclaim Member Oct 5, 2024 2,292 Alek said: Higher priced items very obviously tend to sell less units. I don't think this is a sensible question. The question is, if the game was one of those higher priced titles, would it still have sold enough units to generate the same revenue, as it has at the lower price. And the answer is not one that anyone on this forum can give. Because we can't know. But, to try and answer this I think it's worth considering the appeal of the lower price tag the factors that consumers are considering when making a purchase. So, most consumers are inherently risk averse by default, so they'll avoid spending if they think there might be a risk that they won't have a good time. In relation to that there are a couple of components worth discussing. 1) It's a new IP. So this means that people aren't coming into it with strong expectations about the games quality. 2) It was received very well by critics and social media influencers. I think people are more guarded with new IPs but because it was received so well, that component that would encourage a risk aversive attitude towards the game, actually gets flipped. Suddenly, people are very excited to play a new IP that's good, because they haven't had that experience in some time. I think this also heightened excitement around the game on social media, allowing it to reach more people as influencers were keen to talk about this game that seemed to come out of nowhere. So, I think in this case, it would have been likely to perform well at a higher price point too. Obviously it would have sold fewer units as some players were literally priced out, but I suspect it would have seen similar revenue. Because they've built that relationship with players, I would probably expect a sequel to target a higher price point. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is what I'm thinking. Maybe slightly lower revenue, but still very successful.  

White Cave House | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio The conventional courtyard house confronts a climatic paradox in Kanazawa, Japan, where winter snow accumulates in deep, persistent layers. Traditionally associated with sunlit, arid environments, heavy snowfall can fundamentally challenge the courtyard typology. In response to these conditions, Takuro Yamamoto Architects devised White Cave House (2013), a residence that critiques, reshapes, and revalidates the courtyard model for a snowy suburban context. White Cave House Technical Information Architects1-8: Takuro Yamamoto Architects Location: Kanazawa, Japan Area: 172.33 m2 | 1,855 Sq. Ft. Project Year: 2011 – 2013 Photographs: © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio We proposed to connect these external spaces one another into a large single tube, or Cave, and have each part serve multiple purposes in order to make up for the space limitations. – Takuro Yamamoto Architects White Cave House Photographs Facade | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio White Cave House: Adapting Typology to Climate This single-family house, located on a 493.88 m² site, is not merely a formal exercise in white minimalism but an attempt to resolve spatial contradictions through architectural strategy. Rather than prioritizing interior space at the expense of outdoor functions or vice versa, the architects introduce a third condition: the Cave. This spatial system, composed of a continuous, cranked void, acts as a connective and generative device that rethinks how program, privacy, and climate interact. The initial brief called for a home with minimal expression and multiple exterior spaces, including a roofed garage, a covered entrance, a sky-facing terrace, and a courtyard. However, in Kanazawa, such outdoor amenities often become non-functional in winter. Snow not only conceals the courtyard but complicates access to the home. To navigate this contradiction, the design reframes the courtyard as part of a larger architectural system. The solution was not to compartmentalize or reduce but to integrate. By spatially linking the outdoor elements into a continuous, kinked tube, what the architects describe as a White Cave, each programmatic element retains autonomy while benefiting from collective spatial logic. This bent and folded cave balances visibility and opacity, allowing light and air to circulate while preserving internal privacy. The project becomes an architectural diagram in three dimensions, an exercise in folding a linear void into a coherent living framework that works both in summer and under heavy snow. Spatial Logic and Visual Continuity Unlike most courtyard homes, where the courtyard is the central void around which functions are organized, White Cave House positions the void itself as a pathway. This void is not residual but essential: it is the architecture. The kinked configuration of the Cave mediates privacy by obstructing direct lines of sight from the street. Its geometry offers framed, oblique views rather than open panoramas. This spatial logic introduces a sense of depth and progression, transforming what could have been leftover outdoor space into a dynamic corridor of light and shadow. Internally, rooms are organized to face this void, not for outward views but for carefully curated inward experiences. In a sense, the architecture turns itself inside out. The Cave becomes both a facade and an interior, challenging conventional spatial hierarchies. Materiality and Phenomenological Depth Materially, the house is defined by its white monochrome in form and surface treatment. Thick, load-bearing walls, painted in matte white, produce a monolithic impression, emphasizing the house’s sculptural quality. The continuous whiteness allows subtle changes in light and texture, seasonal, daily, and momentary, to become the focus of visual experience. Perhaps most striking is the use of water as a spatial modifier. A thin basin integrated into the terrace captures shallow pools of water, transforming a flat surface into a reflective void. As sky and sunlight dance across its surface, the basin becomes a mirror of atmospheric conditions. Here, the Cave no longer just carves through solid material; it also holds and reflects the ephemeral. This material clarity extends into structural decisions. The wooden frame is not articulated expressively but concealed to reinforce the building’s mass-like presence. The result is a space that feels not constructed but excavated. White Cave House Plans Floor Plan | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Sections | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Elevations | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects White Cave House Image Gallery About Takuro Yamamoto Architects Takuro Yamamoto Architects is a Tokyo-based architectural practice founded in 2005 by Takuro Yamamoto. The firm is renowned for its minimalist residential designs that thoughtfully integrate light, voids, and spatial continuity. Their work often explores the interplay between interior and exterior spaces, emphasizing privacy and openness. Notable projects include the White Cave House and the Little House with a Big Terrace, both exemplifying the firm’s commitment to creating timeless architecture that responds to its environment. Credits and Additional Notes Structure: Wood Design Period: Feb 2011 – Sept 2012 Construction Period: Oct 2012 – June 2013 Structural Engineer: Yamada Noriaki Structural Design Office Construction: Ninomiya-Kensetsu Client: Married couple + child Site Area: 493.88 m² Building Area: 132.68 m²

F-WHITE Aerial View | © Kindaikouku In a quiet residential area of Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, F-WHITE emerges as a spatial response to three simultaneous conditions: a client’s desire for unity, the awkward geometry of a leftover suburban lot, and the architectural lineage of the Japanese courtyard house. Designed by Takuro Yamamoto Architects, this one-story residence challenges normative interpretations of courtyard living through a deceptively simple yet highly deliberate plan. F-WHITE Technical Information Architects1-11: Takuro Yamamoto Architects Location: Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan Area: 122.03 m2 | 1,313.86 Sq. Ft. Project Year: 2007 – 2009 Photographs: © Kindaikouku, © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio This oblique angle makes the courtyard look like a box which happened to be thrown out on one very large internal space. – Takuro Yamamoto Architects F-WHITE Photographs Aerial View | © Kindaikouku Aerial View | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Facade | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Facade | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Courtyard | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Courtyard | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Living Room | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Living Room | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Kitchen | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Interior | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Bedroom | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Corner | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Office | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio F-WHITE Context and Design Intent The conceptual genesis of F-WHITE was shaped by the client’s request for a spatially unified home that would not fragment the daily rhythms of a three-member family into disconnected rooms or vertical divisions. The insistence on a single-story scheme was not a stylistic preference but a spatial demand: the desire to maintain a continuous, communal living environment, resisting the compartmentalization typical of multi-story dwellings. The site itself offered both a provocation and an opportunity. At 259.31 m², it is larger than the standard suburban plot yet unusually narrow, an irregularity that had consigned it to use as a parking lot for decades. This inherent contradiction, generous area paired with constrained proportion, led the architects to reconsider the role of central outdoor space. Rather than impose a traditional orthogonal courtyard at the heart of the dwelling, the team sought an alternate geometry to reconcile continuity with division. Spatial Strategy and Courtyard Geometry F-WHITE’s defining gesture lies in the courtyard’s rotation. Placed at an oblique angle within the house’s orthogonal boundary, the courtyard interrupts the expected spatial reading. This tilt is more than a formal device; it allows the surrounding interior spaces to link fluidly at their corners, bypassing the need for corridors and reinforcing a sense of spatial cohesion. This move mitigates the typical courtyard issue in narrow lots, where the outdoor void threatens to divide rather than unify. In F-WHITE, the courtyard is perceived not as a central void to be circumnavigated but as a geometric insert, a spatial wedge around which the house unfurls. It appears almost incidental, like a box that has landed within a continuous interior shell, carving subtle niches and allowing glimpses of the sky without fracturing the whole. Notably, the plan avoids over-articulation. Functions are assigned with clarity, yet the transitions between public and private realms are not demarcated by walls but by proximity, orientation, and visibility changes. The residence achieves a spatial sequence of unfolding rather than zoning, and each corner turned offers a fresh yet familiar perspective on the courtyard’s presence. Material Palette and Tectonic Expression Materially, F-WHITE adheres to a restrained palette that reinforces its conceptual clarity. The interior is defined by birch flooring, lauan plywood ceilings, and plasterboard walls finished with AEP, creating an atmosphere of calm continuity. These surfaces absorb and reflect light with subtle variation, amplifying the temporal and climatic shifts orchestrated by the central courtyard. The mortar lysin exterior gives the house a muted, almost anonymous presence from the outside. This subdued finish resists spectacle and reinforces the introverted nature of the design; its architectural intensity is reserved for those who inhabit the space rather than those who pass by. The project is rooted in wood-frame construction, a pragmatic and contextually appropriate choice structurally. Built by Nagano-Koumuten and furnished by Tallman STUDIO, the residence balances craft with efficiency, eschewing expressive tectonics in favor of modest precision. The architecture does not draw attention to its construction; instead, it invites attention to the voids, transitions, and relationships it enables. F-WHITE Plans Site Plan | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Section | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Perspective | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects F-WHITE Image Gallery About Takuro Yamamoto Architects Takuro Yamamoto Architects is a Tokyo-based architectural practice founded in 2005 by Takuro Yamamoto. It is known for its minimalist residential designs that emphasize spatial continuity, natural light, and the integration of voids to enhance privacy and openness. The firm’s work often explores the interplay between solid and void, crafting serene environments that respond thoughtfully to site constraints and client needs. Notable projects include the White Cave House and F-WHITE, which exemplify their commitment to creating timeless, context-sensitive architecture. Credits and Additional Notes Project Architect: Eiji Iwase Structural Engineer: Masuda Structural Engineering Office Construction: Nagano-Koumuten Furniture Design: tallman STUDIO Structure: Wood Frame Construction Client: Married couple with one child Site Area: 259.31 m² Building Area: 122.03 m² Total Floor Area: 118.99 m² (in accordance with Japanese regulations) Design Period: August 2007 – October 2008 Construction Period: November 2008 – April 2009

Courtyard House without Second Floor | © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio In the dense urban fabric of Tokyo’s low-rise residential zones, the idea of a courtyard house often arrives burdened with contradictions. While courtyards promise tranquility, daylight, and spatial openness, they simultaneously risk exposure in neighborhoods where proximity to adjacent buildings is a constant reality. In Courtyard House without Second Floor, Takuro Yamamoto Architects responds to this tension not by enclosing the courtyard at ground level, as is typical in urban Japan, but by lifting it skyward and, in doing so, rethinking the basic assumptions of residential typology. Courtyard House without Second Floor Technical Information Architects1-11: Takuro Yamamoto Architects Location: Tokyo, Japan Area: 84.81 m2 | 912.87 Sq. Ft. Completion Year: 2023 Photographs: © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio By having a courtyard on the third floor where one does not need to worry about neighbors’ houses, and by making the living room that faces the courtyard the main living space, it is possible to propose a lifestyle of living with the sky. – Takuro Yamamoto Architects Courtyard House without Second Floor Photographs © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio © Ken’ichi Suzuki Photo Studio Rethinking the Urban Courtyard Typology In the dense urban fabric of Tokyo’s low-rise residential zones, the idea of a courtyard house often arrives burdened with contradictions. While courtyards promise tranquility, daylight, and spatial openness, they simultaneously risk exposure in neighborhoods where proximity to adjacent buildings is a constant reality. In Courtyard House without Second Floor, Takuro Yamamoto Architects responds to this tension not by enclosing the courtyard at ground level, as is typical in urban Japan, but by lifting it skyward and, in doing so, rethinking the basic assumptions of residential typology. Commissioned by a couple seeking privacy and serenity within a compact urban site, the house proposes a bold inversion of conventional planning. Rather than layering private and public functions vertically, the architects chose to eliminate the second floor entirely, allowing the first and third floors to operate in deliberate dialogue. The result is a residence that privileges visual and environmental connection with the sky while subtly redefining the relationship between floor height, program, and spatial character. Design Intent and Spatial Strategy: Living with the Sky At the core of the project lies a radical conceptual maneuver: displacing the courtyard from the ground to the third floor. This decision emerges from a critique of the traditional urban courtyard model. In this Tokyo neighborhood, where surrounding buildings are often taller and closely spaced, a ground-level courtyard would likely be overlooked, compromising its function as a private outdoor room. High surrounding walls could restore privacy but at the cost of daylight and spatial openness. By relocating the courtyard upward, above the line of sight of nearby houses, the architects enable a new kind of domestic experience centered on openness, air, and sky. The third floor becomes the primary living domain, composed of a light-filled living room that opens directly onto the rooftop courtyard. The courtyard, in turn, becomes not just a spatial device but a living boundary between interior and exterior, structured absence and atmospheric presence. This elevated void also informs the project’s volumetric logic. Since the clients required only a modest floor area, the architects chose to dispense with the intermediate second floor, enabling a clearer division of functions. Communal and spatially expansive activities are raised above, while intimate, enclosed functions occupy the ground level. This unusual strategy reorients how verticality is deployed not as a stacking of programs but as a spatial gradient calibrated to privacy, light, and openness. Materiality, Light, and Spatial Atmosphere Constructed using a rigid wooden frame structure, the house maintains a calm and tactile material palette, allowing spatial relationships and natural light to define its atmosphere. The first floor, often overlooked in vertically stratified dwellings, benefits from a double-height volume due to the absence of the second floor. This inversion creates unexpected generosity in typically constrained spaces, such as the two workrooms facing each other across a slender internal courtyard planted with a Japanese dogwood tree. Light becomes the central agent of spatial modulation. Tall windows on the first-floor drawing in daylight, softening the compactness of the lower level and offering fluctuating lighting conditions throughout the day. Meanwhile, the upper courtyard receives unobstructed sunlight, casting dynamic shadows and amplifying the architectural strategy of turning upward for openness. The spatial sequence thus becomes non-linear, entering into lower, quiet rooms whose expanded vertical dimensions lend them dignity before ascending to a third-floor realm that opens horizontally to the sky. Rather than a classical hierarchy of levels, the house presents a compositional field of contrasts between enclosure and exposure, compression and release, and ground and air. Courtyard House Urban Context Tokyo’s residential neighborhoods are defined not only by density but also by a highly codified regulatory environment. Within the constraints of a Type 1 restricted low-rise residential zone, the architects worked with a site area of 169.78 m², achieving a floor area ratio of 77.87% and a building coverage of just under 50%. These constraints typically lead to compact, stacked dwellings. Yet the Courtyard House without Second Floor resists this default model, proposing a typological deviation that extracts architectural generosity from regulatory discipline instead. Courtyard House without Second Floor Plans Floor Plan | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Section | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Elevation | © Takuro Yamamoto Architects Courtyard House without Second Floor Image Gallery About Takuro Yamamoto Architects Credits and Additional Notes Design Team: Takuro Yamamoto, Tomoko Yanagi Structural Design: NCN Corporation / Yuusuke Okamoto Construction: REMOL DESIGN / Hiroyuki Watanabe, Syuhei Watanabe Furniture: Tanaka Kogei / Toshiya Tanaka, Takeshi Minamizawa Structure: Wooden rigid frame Site Area: 169.78 m² Total Floor Area: 132.21 m² 1st Floor Area: 74.09 m² 3rd Floor Area: 58.12 m² Lot Percentage: 49.95% Floor Space Ratio: 77.87%

These 15 Mind-Bending Murals Turn the Mundane Into the Memorable See 15 images of superb street art from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Text by Tracy Scott Forson Photographs selected by Quentin Nardi May 16, 2025 6:00 a.m. There are many ways to explore a town or neighborhood, but one sure route to discovery is just taking a walk around and enjoying the street art. Community members and local governments often determine what and how the otherwise empty walls of a district will be decorated. Will the artwork honor a hometown hero, reflect the area’s commitment to education or the environment, depict a beloved park or historic building, or just offer bold, bright hues to lift visitors’ spirits? No matter what’s on the wall, it’s worth talking a look. See for yourself. A pedestrian walks by a mural depicting various tropical fruits in the Old Havana neighborhood of the Cuban capital. Adriano Contreras, Cuba, 2016 A hidden mural of a face overlooks a parking lot in the Wynwood neighborhood in downtown Miami. The striking scale stands in stark contrast to the surrounding structures and plants. Sandra Frankel, Florida, 2017 From the vantage point of the High Line in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, this mural serves as a nice example of art in the city. Michael Boyce, New York, 2015 Colorful, abstract artwork covers the walls of a building in New York City. Natalie Dietterich, New York, 2017 A pedestrian in a red coat seems to seamlessly insert herself into a Toronto mural featuring a wintry scene. Sylvia Lorico, Canada, 2019 The community of Vincennes pays homage to Emmy winner Red Skelton, a native who hosted his own comedy show from 1951 to 1971. Stephen Torain, Indiana, 2011 Seventy-year-old cylindrical silos served as the canvas—complete with steel panels, rivets and seams—for this colorful artwork. Elizabeth Szabo, Michigan, 2024 A mural in Phoenix evokes Day of the Dead imagery. Katharine P. Britt, Arizona, 2012 Which came first, the postcard or the mural? This popular Austin art has been featured on souvenirs and used as a logo. Pam Edwards, Texas, 2015 In Tehran, a woman stands in front of an intricate mural that features a small landscape surrounded by a larger painting of flowers and swirls. Joyce Le Mesurier, Iran, 2016 Artwork of a black-and-white pig is juxtaposed against a kaleidoscope of colorful shapes. Jill Moskowitz, New York, 2009 Wynwood Walls is an outdoor museum in Miami with giant murals. Agnieszka Wieczorek, Florida, 2024 This Bob Dylan mural in downtown Minneapolis, a major city in his home state, features lyrics from the artist’s 1964 track and album of the same name: “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” Lisa Drew, Minnesota, 2021 A worker and her reflection at the Hanoi airport finish sweeping near a wall-length floral mural. Olga Leskiw-Suzuki, Vietnam, 2020 Get the latest Travel & Culture stories in your inbox.

Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 Expectation: Reality: There has also been a documented case of a headless Shadowheart, without a doubt a victim of very vicious paintbrush. News on the subject: Baldur's Gate 3 companions got official $50 D&D minis, and I am casting Vicious Mockery because what in the Nine Hells is this Gale, you feeling all right? www.gamesradar.com The Baldur's Gate 3 cast got a new set of pre-painted minis and—oh, oh no, oh no no no Maybe the mind flayer tadpoles finally got to 'em. www.pcgamer.com Paint a lock if old.  MangoUltz "This guy are sick" Member Mar 24, 2019 4,087 Oof. Brutal paint job.   hydro94530 Chicken Chaser Member Oct 27, 2017 8,159 Bay Area Man those are butt ugly lol.   nsilvias Member Oct 25, 2017 29,963 whose kid did they pay to paint these?   Jawmuncher Crisis Dino Moderator Oct 25, 2017 44,753 Ibis Island Got two of these for a friend, sadly we did not get any of the main cast. The paint jobs on them weren't this bad though.   tapdancingFreak Member Dec 12, 2017 4,854 Charlotte, NC Lmfao!   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 LMAO 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣   y0shizawa Member May 3, 2021 635 Good lord that's awful   MadJosh04 Member Nov 9, 2022 2,734 Good lord that's bad lol   Foolhardy Member May 4, 2024 3,301 Pre-painted paired with D&D Minis have long been a recipe for hilarity and I am so happy the tradition has continued.   Derkon Member Oct 25, 2017 3,609 yikes   MadMod Member Dec 4, 2017 4,791 Like a 5 year old painted them from their mums nail polish draw.   onibirdo Member Dec 9, 2020 3,559   Pepsimaaan Member Oct 20, 2023 757 Shadowheart is missing her head in the packaged picture.....   LewieP Member Oct 26, 2017 19,790 The smart move here for Larian would be to immediately 3D scan these figures and then add them to the game as characters.   Sai Prophet of Truth The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 6,977 Chicago holy lol. incredible work.   shodgson8 Shinra Employee Member Aug 22, 2018 5,233 EDIT: Ninja'd  Spacejaws "This guy are sick" of the One Winged Slayer Member Oct 27, 2017 8,828 Scotland Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol.  Banjo_ Member Mar 16, 2025 64 what have they done to my girl shadowheart 😭   jph139 One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,666 Hoenstly, that's par for the course with pre-painted mass produced plastic minis - I feel like the quality standards have dropped considerably over the past 10-20 years. Back in the day you'd be spending $1-2 per mini and they'd look consistently good. Not hand-painted quality, but solid. Now to get anything near quality it's like $10 a mini? Maybe? (And with D&D minis you're spending that much and still getting garbage.) Like, I used to play Heroscape, and the Master Set with 30 miniatures and a shitton of terrain was only $40. The rebooted version that came out last year is 20 unpainted miniatures and like half the terrain for $125... or the version with painted minis for $225. It's crazy. I've just learned to settle for unpainted.  Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 I haven't opened mine, and just looked up close and ooffff lol   Yerffej Prophet of Regret Member Oct 25, 2017 29,351 Poor Gale had his eyes scooped out. Shame.   Feral Gingy Member Oct 30, 2017 434 Finland Absolutely disgusting!   DanteMenethil Member Oct 25, 2017 8,972 FIFTY BUCKS HAHAHA   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 It's Tomb Raider all over again   Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 Here's mine View: https://imgur.com/a/dzkTguT   Harmen Member Aug 30, 2023 1,372 Hahahaha, I love it   Brawly Likes to Brawl Member Oct 25, 2017 16,464 Ryohei Suzuki's bedroom Boulder's Gape 3   DiceHands Member Oct 27, 2017 4,783 someone tell them to thin their paints before applying   Apath Member Oct 25, 2017 3,493 That is worse than fast food promo pics vs the real thing. Hopefully they are giving refunds.   Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,189 It's possibly confirmation bias but I don't think I've ever seen a mass-market pre-painted figure line that wasn't messy as fuck? There's just no way to ensure the quality across so many figures.   SpellSwordFoxx Member Feb 27, 2025 317 whoever they paid to do the pain jobs really didn't give a fuck XD   Ring Dings and Pepsi Member Jan 23, 2024 1,537 Spacejaws said: Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The colors don't even remotely match, wow  OP OP Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 DiceHands said: someone tell them to thin their paints before applying Click to expand... Click to shrink... View: https://youtu.be/m3p_VuPIS2c   dreamfall Member Oct 25, 2017 7,330 Beyond hideous ! Paint job looks insane!   Praxis Sausage Tycoon Member Oct 25, 2017 8,141 UK Shadowheart shall be avenged   Anoregon Member Oct 25, 2017 16,115 texture and definition are crutches used by weak artists   Alvis Saw the truth behind the copied door Member Oct 25, 2017 12,089 EU That's pathetic lmao   Mandos Member Nov 27, 2017 39,102 Welcome to prepainted minis! This is why you do it yourself. Even if you can't do details you can do a fun shaded look   Stabi Member Oct 25, 2017 2,033 France / san francisco Tsk'va! My most regretted purchase ever. I'm first time i bought dnd pre painted because the press release pictures looked amazing. Never again. 

Ready for more racing? This month’s free update from the Polyphony team comes with four new cars to rip around on your favorite GT7 circuits: the ’17 Ferrari 812 Superfast, ’01 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, ’12 Suzuki Carry KC, and ’21 Honda CR-V e:HEV EX Black Edition. In addition, three new events are coming to World Circuits and Sophy, the AI racing agent, has been expanded to support the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Layout. Update 1.59* for Gran Turismo 7 is available as of today Wednesday, May 14 at 11:00pm PDT / May 25 at 3:00pm JST / 8:00am CEST. Play Video New cars ’01 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5) (Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars) The peak of the 5th gen Corvette line-up revives the classic Z06 moniker. In 1999, a hardtop model was added to the Chevrolet Corvette C5 lineup. Though it removed the detachable roof and rear hatch from the coupé, this model utilises the increased rigidity from the new design to improve driving performance. Its dedication to performance is further evident from the fact that selecting the hardtop model included an automatic upgrade to the Z51 handling package and manual transmission. What’s more is that even with all these features, it was still cheaper than the standard coupé model. It’s no wonder that enthusiast drivers flocked to it despite its somewhat niche appeal. From 2001, the hardtop Corvette was equipped with a 384.6 BHP LS6 engine, an improved version of the LS1, and was renamed the Z06. The Z06 name was taken from a race package option code that had existed for the C2 Corvette. It featured a full titanium exhaust which is very unusual for a production car, along with reinforced suspension components with a specially tuned wheel alignment, and was only available with a manual transmission. However, in exchange for this wealth of equipment, there was a significant increase in the price. This made it the most expensive model yet, exceeding even the price of the convertible, which made it less obtainable to the users who had previously been attracted by its sturdy hardtop body and spartan equipment. Even so, further improvements were made to the Z06, with the maximum output increased to 405.3 BHP in 2002. Achieving over 394.5 BHP in a small block engine was an unprecedented feat, making it one of the fastest mass-production cars in the world. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image ’17 Ferrari 812 Superfast (Can be purchased from Brand Central) Adopting the classic V12 FR layout, this Ferrari achieves blinding speed while retaining usability. The 812 Superfast was released in 2017 as a successor to Ferrari’s historic tradition of front-engined 12-cylinder models. The 812 name itself refers to the engine’s power and layout, being ‘800 PS, 12 cylinders,’ while the Superfast moniker was carried over from the legendary ‘500 Superfast’ itself produced in 1964. The body styling was conceived by Ferrari’s own Styling Centre. With a long nose and short deck, the body proportions are typical of a 12-cylinder front-midship layout, however the refined aerodynamics and details give it the elegant aura of modern Ferrari design. The 788 BHP and 718 Nm (73.3 kgfm) produced by the naturally aspirated 6.5L V12 unit are routed to the rear tyres through a 7-speed DCT transaxle. The car is also notable for being the first Ferrari model to incorporate an electric power steering unit. Additionally, the running gear features an evolved version of the 4-wheel steering setup found on the previous F12berlinetta model, dubbed the ‘Virtual Short Wheelbase 2.0’ system. The prime benefit of this system is it allows the nose to turn in sharply on even the tightest corners, despite the relatively long 2,720 mm wheelbase. With trunk space behind the seats and a spacious cargo area in the rear end, the 812 Superfast may be the perfect supercar for grand touring. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image ’21 Honda CR-V e:HEV EX・Black Edition  (Can be purchased from Brand Central) The 5th generation model of this popular SUV is the first to feature a hybrid system. In the 1990s, Honda set their sights on creating cars for leisure activities, dubbing the category ‘Creative Movers’. The first such model was Odyssey which released to widespread commercial success in 1994, and was followed in ’95 by a high ground clearance SUV model. This was the first generation CR-V. From then, the CR-V became a long-selling hit, especially in the North American market. Eventually reaching the model introduced here, the 2021 model which is based on the 5th generation CR-V originally introduced in 2016. The model notable feature of the 5th generation is the introduction of a hybrid powerplant, the first ever in the series. This system combines a 2L Atkinson cycle engine with 2 electric motors, able to operate in both series or parallel. This highly efficient system also allows the petrol engine to provide power when cruising at high speeds. The availability of a 4-wheel drive option with this hybrid system further contributed to the CR-V’s popularity. Aesthetically, many characteristics have been carried over from the previous generation model, but the body has been slightly enlarged to increase leg room for rear passengers, improving their comfort. Additionally, the car is also able to carry a large amount of luggage with over 1,100L of cargo space available just by folding down the back seats. The petrol model also featured a 3-row 7-seater layout. The fifth generation CR-V is not only a refined SUV, it also features numerous driver assist systems like collision avoidance braking and adaptive cruise control. This makes it a perfect choice not only for leisure but for everyday driving as well. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image ’12 Suzuki Carry KC  (Can be purchased from Brand Central) A quintessential example of the ‘micro-truck’ trend that’s sweeping the globe. Japan’s micro-car segment, known natively as ‘kei’ cars, has grown into an indispensable tool for everyday life. The kei segment of course features many passenger models, along with SUVs and sports cars too, but there are also a large number of commercial vans and trucks which support infrastructure. The Suzuki Carry is one such microtruck that reflects commercial kei cars as a whole. The Carry has a long history behind it, which stretches back to its birth in 1961. The 10th generation model was introduced as a full model change in 1999 in order to meet changes to the kei car certification standard introduced in 1998. The model introduced here is the 2012 model, the final model of the 10th generation following several other facelift models. The body has been enlarged over the previous generation, now measuring 3,395 mm long and 1,475 mm wide. The engine is located under the feet of the occupants in a semi-cabover configuration, and has a displacement of only 658 cc though the initial line-up did also feature turbocharged models. The Carry is available in a number of different model grades to fit purpose and price, but the KC is the most luxurious, featuring power steering and air conditioning as standard equipment. Along with a rear-wheel drive layout, it was also available with four-wheel drive allowing it to perform to its fullest even in the snow or on uneven mountain roads. The kei truck’s adorable aesthetics and excellent usability have also earned it attention from overseas. Preowned Carrys have found themselves to be popular for agriculture and farming in the U.S. where right-hand drive models are automatically qualified road-worthy 25 years after their initial release. A small body housing enormous potential, the Carry is yet another example of a uniquely Japanese car finding worldwide appeal. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image World Circuits (New Events) The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’: Lightweight K-Cup: Eiger Nordwand American Clubman Cup 700: Autódromo de Interlagos Ferrari Circuit Challenge: Deep Forest Raceway ​​ Gran Turismo Sophy The next-generation racing AI agent, ‘Gran Turismo Sophy’ is now available on the following courses. Look for the Sophy icon in ‘Quick Race’ and ‘Custom Race’ on each track to test your skills against Sophy Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Layout. Scapes ‘Shooting the perfect square’ has been added as a featured Curation in Scapes, enabling square-photos with geometric backgrounds for social media. *Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

Casa De Blas | © Hisao Suzuki Set on a hillside in Sevilla la Nueva, a town southwest of Madrid, Casa De Blas is a distilled expression of the architectural dialectic between weight and lightness, earth and sky. Designed in 2000 by Spanish architect Alberto Campo Baeza, the house is both an act of landscape intervention and a metaphysical construct, a spatial meditation on essential form and material logic. Casa De Blas Technical Information Architects1-3: Alberto Campo Baeza Location: Sevilla la Nueva, Madrid, Spain Area: 250 m2 | 2,690 Sq. Ft. Project Year: 2000 Photographs: © Hisao Suzuki This house aims to be a literal translation of the idea of the tectonic box upon the stereotomic box. Like a distillation of the most essential in architecture. Once again, more with less. – Alberto Campo Baeza Casa De Blas Photographs © Hisao Suzuki © Hisao Suzuki © Hisao Suzuki © Hisao Suzuki © Hisao Suzuki © Hisao Suzuki The Architecture of Duality: Ground and Sky Campo Baeza’s work consistently revolves around a search for architectural clarity. In Casa De Blas, this clarity manifests as two boxes: a grounded concrete volume that holds the domestic program and a glass pavilion above that elevates the act of looking. The house is not merely built on the landscape; it is in dialogue with it. The conceptual strategy of Casa De Blas is rooted in a tectonic-syntactic opposition between the stereotomic base and the tectonic roof. The lower portion consists of a robust concrete platform embedded in the earth like a carved podium. This base supports a lighter glass structure above, where steel elements define the enclosure with minimal mass. The house engages the site with careful restraint. Rather than dominate the hilltop, it accepts the slope and turns its attention to the northern view of the Sierra de Guadarrama. This orientation informs light and shadow’s spatial organization and phenomenological qualities. Inside the concrete base, the architecture follows a precise logic. A service band is located toward the rear, while primary living spaces occupy the front, facing the landscape. Square window openings, deeply set into the thick walls, frame views with the intentionality of a camera obscura. These apertures do not merely let in light; they shape perception, creating a sense of distance and inwardness. The Pavilion as Apparatus for Contemplation Above this grounded core, the transparent upper volume serves as a lookout. Reached from the interior by ascending stairs, the glass box sits lightly on the podium, offering a counterpoint to the cave-like enclosure below. There is no visible carpentry, just frameless glazing and a white steel canopy, which shades the upper level while preserving its airy, open quality. The north-facing glass stretches toward the edge, embracing the panoramic view. On the southern side, the volume recedes to create a shaded void, regulating solar gain. This sectional asymmetry allows the architecture to perform environmentally without compromising its compositional purity. Campo Baeza describes the house as a literal translation of the idea of a tectonic box upon a stereotomic box. The reference is not metaphorical but structural and spatial. The upper pavilion is not a symbol of transparency but a mechanism for perception. In this way, the house operates as a philosophical instrument as much as a dwelling. Casa De Blas Proportion and Compositional Rigour The power of the project lies in the spatial sequence from the heavy to the light, from the shaded to the luminous. The contrast between these two atmospheres creates a duality of experience: shelter and openness, introspection and projection. The structural order contributes to this sense of serenity. Steel supports are arranged in double symmetry, reinforcing the composition’s static quality. Nothing feels arbitrary. Every gesture is reduced to its essential nature. The palette is limited to concrete, glass, and steel, yet the result is rich in meaning. The interior is equally restrained, avoiding superfluous detailing. It is architecture as a frame, a backdrop for landscape and thought. Campo Baeza’s work here touches the territory of the poetic, not through expressionism but through control and abstraction. Casa De Blas Plans Concept | © Alberto Campo Baeza North Elevation | © Alberto Campo Baeza East Elevation | © Alberto Campo Baeza Upper Level | © Alberto Campo Baeza Floor Plan | © Alberto Campo Baeza Section | © Alberto Campo Baeza Casa De Blas Image Gallery About Alberto Campo Baeza Alberto Campo Baeza is a Spanish architect born in 1946 in Valladolid. Renowned for his minimalist and essentialist approach, he emphasizes the interplay of light, gravity, and proportion in his designs. His notable works include the Casa Turégano, Casa de Blas, and the Caja de Granada headquarters. Campo Baeza was a full-time design professor at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM) from 1986 until his retirement in 2017. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career, such as the RIBA International Fellowship and the Heinrich Tessenow Gold Medal, recognizing his contributions to contemporary architecture. Credits and Additional Notes Design Team: Alberto Campo Baeza, Alfonso González Gamo Structural Engineer: Julio Martínez Calzón, MC-2 Collaborators: Teresa Campos