London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

A Playful Home Inspired by Studio Ghibli’s “My Neighbor Totoro” Blends Indoor/Outdoor Spaces

A Playful Home Inspired by Studio Ghibli’s “My Neighbor Totoro” Blends Indoor/Outdoor Spaces

CplusC Architectural Workshop renovates a Sydney residence to celebrate family togetherness and a connection with the natural world.

Nearly two decades ago, a young couple bought a four-bedroom home on a quiet street in Sydney’s Russell Lea suburb. As their family grew, with the addition of three young children and a dog, the duo decided it was time to transform the existing residence into their forever home. For the recent renovation and expansion, local firm CplusC Architectural Workshop took inspiration from the popular Japanese film My Neighbor Totoro.



"Three decades ago, Studio Ghibli’s animated fantasy My Neighbor Totoro taught us about the importance of relationships-with family, friends, and nature," says architect Clinton Cole, who led the project alongside architect Ryan Ng. "Similarly, the Totoro House concept is heavily inspired by the strong family bond between the clients and their relationship to the landscape."



The Sydney-based firm’s goal for the project was to create an open, warm, and sociable home environment. The communal areas needed to allow the family to interact during simple daily activities. The clients also wanted to achieve a stronger connection between the interior spaces and the rear garden.



With this in mind, the architects removed the boundaries between the kitchen, living, and dining areas, and the walls that previously separated the spaces were reimagined as vertical thresholds. A rear extension-which houses a spacious living area-opens to an outdoor deck.



The CplusC team designed the addition to ensure privacy for the family-and their adjacent neighbors, too. "With the extension mostly hidden from the street, glimpses of the playful space peek out from behind the Federation-era home," explains Ng.



Throughout the updated dwelling, a circular motif facilitates a strong visual connection between the different spaces. A large, round window overlooks the backyard, framing the transition between the structure’s interior and exterior. This approach draws on the traditional Japanese concept of shakkei, in which a background landscape-or "borrowed scenery"-is incorporated into the composition of a garden.



A round window in the principal bedroom also draws from shakkei, offering direct views from the sleeping area into the rear courtyard. Double-layer curtains allow the homeowners to maintain a sense of privacy. The glazed window includes a built-in window seat and a timber hatch that promotes air flow into the room.



"The predominant design consideration of Totoro House is the integration of shakkei," says Ng. "The circular motif is used to strengthen the connectivity between spaces. Every opening acts as a frame that captures different elements of the backyard."



Warm colors create a cozy atmosphere throughout the interior living spaces, while the material palette-spotted-gum hardwood, steel, recycled masonry, and concrete-draws inspiration from midcentury modernism.



The architects were also mindful about waste reduction during the construction process. A semi-circle off-cut in the exterior brass cladding was integrated into the rear wall as a design detail. Recycled bricks were used to build the extension, while stones from the existing home now appear in the backyard garden.



"The project continues to surprise us beyond what we envisioned," Cole says. "We often receive updates from the clients about new and unexpected light features, such as rare reflections and special silhouettes that result from a combination of natural phenomena and design."



A floor plan of Totoro House by CplusC Architectural Workshop.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×