About Socony Residences, Honmoku:

Designed by architect Antonin Raymond and undertaken by Shiraishi Construction, Socony Residences, Honmoku was built as employee's residences for Standard Oil Co. in 1949 and 1950. The residence is located in Honmoku-Motomachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama.  First, the residence consisted of three single-story residences and one two-story residence with each gross area of more than 363 square meters. Today, one single-story residence of the three and the two-story residence exist with natural plants and surroundings.

The residence is considered valuable as a life-cultural and historical viewpoint. For example, the residence was designed gathering the advantage of sloping terrains and natural surroundings. It was also designed based on a modernism with exposed concrete and a large wooden high sash. The modernism represents a succeeded American life style of the 50's beginning.  In addition, it was built at the almost same time of the Readers' Digest Office Building, one of his representative works.

His original construction methods are called "Shin Hazushi" (sliding doors off column), and "exposed concrete" which was the highest level in Japan at that time. The latter is presumed the first method in Japan to use a vibration machine for concrete mixing.