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Bar and Lounge at Sōgawa
Bar and Lounge at Sōgawa
Toyama, Japan
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Bar and Lounge at Sōgawa
Toyama, Japan
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2023
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$50K - 100K
Bar and Lounge at Sōgawa is a renovation project that transforms two units within a shipping-container-based restaurant complex in central Toyama, Japan, into a bar and a shared lounge.
Originally conceived as a platform to encourage turnover of tenants by offering relatively low rents and limited lease periods, the facility had several vacancies following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project began with the aim of reactivating these empty units in time for the facility’s fifth anniversary, while restoring a sense of activity to the surrounding area.
At the outset, the project was required to be completed within a two-month timeframe, necessitating the simultaneous development of both the business plan and the spatial design. In response, the interior was approached as a flexible framework capable of accommodating uncertain and evolving uses.
The design acknowledges the raw and industrial character of the existing shipping containers, while positioning flexibility as a key principle. Materials typically used as substrates—such as light-gauge steel framing and flexible boards—are intentionally exposed and treated as primary finishes. This approach not only maintains consistency with the existing structure but also reduces the initial investment required for future tenants.
Recycled ocean plastic is used for the surfaces of counters and tables, introducing a contemporary material narrative while adding subtle variation to the otherwise restrained palette.
Within the compact bar space, movable tables are introduced to complement the counter seating, allowing for a wider range of use, including group occupancy. The lounge, on the other hand, is reconfigured as a shared space accessible to all tenants within the facility, expanding its collective functionality.
The only specific request from the client—a sunken kotatsu seating area—is deliberately contrasted with the industrial material language. By incorporating igusa, the material used in traditional tatami, the space introduces a layer of tactile and olfactory comfort, creating a different mode of experience within the overall composition.
The project is composed of elements such as light-gauge steel, flexible boards, and recycled ocean plastic—materials that are typically hidden or repurposed—forming a space that remains open to reinterpretation and future transformation.
Originally conceived as a platform to encourage turnover of tenants by offering relatively low rents and limited lease periods, the facility had several vacancies following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project began with the aim of reactivating these empty units in time for the facility’s fifth anniversary, while restoring a sense of activity to the surrounding area.
At the outset, the project was required to be completed within a two-month timeframe, necessitating the simultaneous development of both the business plan and the spatial design. In response, the interior was approached as a flexible framework capable of accommodating uncertain and evolving uses.
The design acknowledges the raw and industrial character of the existing shipping containers, while positioning flexibility as a key principle. Materials typically used as substrates—such as light-gauge steel framing and flexible boards—are intentionally exposed and treated as primary finishes. This approach not only maintains consistency with the existing structure but also reduces the initial investment required for future tenants.
Recycled ocean plastic is used for the surfaces of counters and tables, introducing a contemporary material narrative while adding subtle variation to the otherwise restrained palette.
Within the compact bar space, movable tables are introduced to complement the counter seating, allowing for a wider range of use, including group occupancy. The lounge, on the other hand, is reconfigured as a shared space accessible to all tenants within the facility, expanding its collective functionality.
The only specific request from the client—a sunken kotatsu seating area—is deliberately contrasted with the industrial material language. By incorporating igusa, the material used in traditional tatami, the space introduces a layer of tactile and olfactory comfort, creating a different mode of experience within the overall composition.
The project is composed of elements such as light-gauge steel, flexible boards, and recycled ocean plastic—materials that are typically hidden or repurposed—forming a space that remains open to reinterpretation and future transformation.
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