The project is a renovation of a dwelling in a residential tower in the centre of Tokyo.
The client wanted to have a weekend house to receive guest, relax and have good time. The design we propose reflect both western and Japanese taste, abstracting the element of each language and than juxtapose carefully.
The interior partition between living an bedrooms were removed, creating one open space connected with Japanese room and entry by sliding partitions.
The main room warps around the big teak furniture that articulate the space in different areas, giving space in the four side to: kitchen, bedroom, closet and living space. In this ambient thickness of the element and gesture tend to be more related to the western language, although we can also find a Japanese evidence in the washi ceiling and the golden frameworks treated a kind of byobu, traditionally used for celebration.
The space of Japanese room was carefully design, the dimension of element became smaller and the gesture more gentle. The relation of proximity required more attention in the detail and material to create a cozy space with balance and proportion. Tatami flooring, Japanese cider, washi and dark gray juraku helps to create, inside the room, a a special feeling of calm and intimacy.
Carefully observing the dimension of every single element in the project we can clearly recognize the difference between western and Japanese method; example can be found in the big teak furniture's frames of 80 mm adjacent to the 9 mm trim inside the Japanese room. The dimension was the key point for developing and handle the complexity of the task.
Photograpy: Shigeo Ogawa, Yaita and Associates