OutlineI renovated a room of an old Japanese apartment into a flat for new lifestyle by inserting several simple wooden boxy volumes.

© Gottingham

Architects: Domino Architects

Location: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Contractor: Yamaki

Design Team: Yusuke Oono

Area: 67.91 sqm

Project Year: 2015

Photographs: Gottingham

© Gottingham

Outline
I renovated a room of an old Japanese apartment into a flat for new lifestyle by inserting several simple wooden boxy volumes.

© Gottingham

The room is located in a boundary between an old town and a developing district around Tokyo. From this room on the top floor of the building, we see a scenery like Rear Window from Hitchcock below.
© Gottingham

This flat was planned for a young family with a 2 year-old child. Considering the change of lifestyle due to child's growth within a limited floor space, I installed corners, blind spots and niches with boxy volumes in order to enrich a variety of space.

© Gottingham

Boxy VolumesNo new walls were installed. The boxy volumes which contain storage and bathroom are partitioning the room loosely and fluidly into areas.

© Gottingham

The volumes are layouted off the grid and the fluidity of space can be controlled flexibly by the sliding...