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Atelier fot energy closet
Atelier fot energy closet
Ichihara, Japan
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Other Projects by kurosawa kawara-ten
Atelier fot energy closet
Ichihara, Japan
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2021
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
Energy Closet is a new apparel brand that doesn't aim to sell clothes. It's a new-generation startup questioning the traditional business concept that old things are meant to be thrown away. It doesn't deny that the beauty of clothes and fashion is irresistible, or that self-expression through fashion is important and something people can't give up. Instead, it tries to slightly change the situation which the existence of clothes itself are worn out and simply discarded, aiming to create a new world. While the world calls this upcycling or regenerative fashion and it's become a trend, they are simply reacting honestly to the contradiction of seeing beloved items discarded right before their eyes. Precisely because of this, their approach feels incredibly powerful, creating an activity that stands apart from trends and economic cycles.
It is no wonder, then, that they chose an old farmer’s house in the countryside of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, as their atelier. While it is fashion, it maintains a sufficient distance from trends and Tokyo, allowing them to cultivate an attitude of mutual respect and shared use rather than disposable consumption. Indeed, their pop-up stores travel not only to Tokyo but also to regional cities like Osaka and Fukuoka, free from location. Even though they deal with the physical medium of vintage clothing, they don't simply sell the garments themselves. Rather, they offer an experience: the small histories and stories inherent in the vintage clothes, the ever-changing atmosphere of the pop-up store, and the interaction with the members selling them.
When renovating the old house to serve as their atelier, the things to do were clear. We saw the old house and vacant properties in exactly the same situation as the vintage clothing they deal in. We started from the idea that these are things meant to be used continuously, not discarded. Rather than viewing it as a responsibility or obligation, we believed that by layering our own affection and expectations onto it, it would become not someone else's worn-out clothes, not someone else's trash, but our own cherished wardrobe and our own beloved home. Following their approach, the renovation focused on repairing the damaged parts of the original house and making functional updates to slightly improve airtightness and ventilation to protect their vintage clothing inventory. The large room and master bedroom, which had tatami floors unsuitable for studio work, were insulated and finished with veneer offcuts. Additionally, we reinforced the ceiling and installed rails to allow hanging clothes for storage and photography. When installing a fireplace stove in the living space, we proposed finishing the floor with patchwork tiles to make it non-combustible.
These veneer offcuts and patchwork tiles are made from woodworking factory waste—discarded veneer scraps—and tiles brought back from the construction site by tile installers: long-term stock leftovers, odd pieces with no practical use. Rather than passively accepting what's imposed—choosing based on whether something is a finished product, treated as genuine merchandise, or sold in a neat store—we decide how to use what we encounter in the moment, based on affection and expectation. Veneer doesn't have to be just a base layer, and tiles don't all have to be the same type covering an entire surface. Spaces created through such convivial, fundamental methods seem to acquire a quality as if they've always been there, as if their existence is natural and inevitable. And it felt like this experience made me realize anew that space isn't something designed by the architect or chosen by the client, but something naturally created by everyone involved.
Upcycling that prioritizes being upcycled, regenerative design that truly aims to be regenerative—underneath the growing number of superficial urban experiences that have forgotten such fundamentals, the psychological safety offered by spaces built with only what is necessary, and the reassurance that comes from foreseeing their continueability, surely represent crucial elements that architectural design should strive to achieve.
It is no wonder, then, that they chose an old farmer’s house in the countryside of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, as their atelier. While it is fashion, it maintains a sufficient distance from trends and Tokyo, allowing them to cultivate an attitude of mutual respect and shared use rather than disposable consumption. Indeed, their pop-up stores travel not only to Tokyo but also to regional cities like Osaka and Fukuoka, free from location. Even though they deal with the physical medium of vintage clothing, they don't simply sell the garments themselves. Rather, they offer an experience: the small histories and stories inherent in the vintage clothes, the ever-changing atmosphere of the pop-up store, and the interaction with the members selling them.
When renovating the old house to serve as their atelier, the things to do were clear. We saw the old house and vacant properties in exactly the same situation as the vintage clothing they deal in. We started from the idea that these are things meant to be used continuously, not discarded. Rather than viewing it as a responsibility or obligation, we believed that by layering our own affection and expectations onto it, it would become not someone else's worn-out clothes, not someone else's trash, but our own cherished wardrobe and our own beloved home. Following their approach, the renovation focused on repairing the damaged parts of the original house and making functional updates to slightly improve airtightness and ventilation to protect their vintage clothing inventory. The large room and master bedroom, which had tatami floors unsuitable for studio work, were insulated and finished with veneer offcuts. Additionally, we reinforced the ceiling and installed rails to allow hanging clothes for storage and photography. When installing a fireplace stove in the living space, we proposed finishing the floor with patchwork tiles to make it non-combustible.
These veneer offcuts and patchwork tiles are made from woodworking factory waste—discarded veneer scraps—and tiles brought back from the construction site by tile installers: long-term stock leftovers, odd pieces with no practical use. Rather than passively accepting what's imposed—choosing based on whether something is a finished product, treated as genuine merchandise, or sold in a neat store—we decide how to use what we encounter in the moment, based on affection and expectation. Veneer doesn't have to be just a base layer, and tiles don't all have to be the same type covering an entire surface. Spaces created through such convivial, fundamental methods seem to acquire a quality as if they've always been there, as if their existence is natural and inevitable. And it felt like this experience made me realize anew that space isn't something designed by the architect or chosen by the client, but something naturally created by everyone involved.
Upcycling that prioritizes being upcycled, regenerative design that truly aims to be regenerative—underneath the growing number of superficial urban experiences that have forgotten such fundamentals, the psychological safety offered by spaces built with only what is necessary, and the reassurance that comes from foreseeing their continueability, surely represent crucial elements that architectural design should strive to achieve.
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