63.

02

schemata

3.02, built in a densely residential area in Nakano, Tokyo, is a

small building of a Soho and an
apartment for rent. The front road is really narrow, but the next apartment has
a big open space between the road and
the building.

n order to this situation, the facade

of 63.02 is inclined 63.02 degrees
toward the front road, so that a wide
and deep view is acquired. From the
large windows that are opened on the
inclined facade, you can see neighbors
cherry tree and the cityscape.

n front a splendid cherry blossoms

tree stands. It is only fine sight in
this building that is acquired in the
center.

Architects: Jo Nagasaka + Schemata ArchitecSite Area: 48,84 sqm

Constructed Area: 71,40 sqm
Photographer: Takumi Oota

house-t H

ouse-t, built in the coastal town dow slotted into its narrow opening, as
of Miyazaki, Japan, was designed well as a dark corridor that leads down
by Hiroshima based architecture inside.
company Tsukano. Designed with a
simple rectilinear shape, the austere
two-storey residence has a single win-

house-t

he interior space is defined by

his lighting system was designed
the layout of the furniture, which
for the editing of graphics in prohas been meticulously designed.
fessional studios, its light-diffuThis enables the optimum use of the sion effect preventing shadows being
spacious interior, as it does not need cast onto the top of the table. As a
partitions.
further iconic element of the office, we
have designed slopes connecting the
ven in the meeting space, where interior spaces.
partitions are usually required, we
have established a free-flowing
space by the use of umbrellas. These
are commonly used as light reflectors,
but they also function as sonic-reflection collectors that enable people to
have conversations without partitions.

reating a sense of incompleteness was the key to our design. In my mind clothes are
associated with warmth of human
body-sometimes that feeling gets too
intense and uncomfortably hot. This is
why I want to make the background as
calm as possible. We intend to leave
this space somewhat incomplete-and

EEL

by schemata architects

when clothes are set in place it will

be complete. So our construction process was mostly subtraction-that
is, dismantling, peeling, and scraping
unnecessary layers-except for a few
additional elements.

he site was formerly used as

office space. For the floor, we
peeled off the existing carpet
and sanded exposed mortar undercoat thoroughly to make it perfectly
horizontal and super-flat. As a result
we created unique random mosaic
pattern-in some places aggregates
are revealed, and in other places finer particles cover up the surface. We
also removed all the finishing materials-paint, baseboard, insulation etc.
from walls and ceiling, and hidden
surface of concrete-that is unfinished
and not ready for public viewing- is
now exposed. By reversing the construction process, a state of incompleteness reappears. Display fixtures
are also constructed halfway and left
at a state of incompleteness. Stainless steel mirror and frame are welded for assembly and we left the weld
joint unpolished, so it creates interesting patterns on the surface. Hanging
racks are made of anti-corrosive coated steel pipes. Surface coating is removed at joints then they are welded
together. And we erase burnt traces
of welding but leave steel surface unpainted. Wooden boxes, used as dis-

play base, are made of lauan wood.

It is a kind wood usually used for
underlay, but we leave it unpainted.
These unfinished elements reinforce
our design concept of incompleteness. Other elements are added to
this space- glass partition wall, fitting
room, concrete block masonry wall
separating shop and back room, and
thick steel tension cable that is used
to hang clothes, lighting fixtures and
electrical wiring for lighting. When
the final design element-clothes -are
displayed, the space is complete.

title : EEL Nakameguro

architects:Jo Nagasaka+Tomoki Katada/Schemata Architects
address:Higashiyama MeguroTokyo
usage:Apparel shop
construction:TANK
structure:RC
photo:Takumi Ota

Aesop

schemata architects

/Ginza & Aoyama

Aesop

aoyama

ithin the skeleton of an

ordinary RC building, the
store of the skin-care
brand Aesop was created out of
the re-use of miscellaneous materials. These materials were all easily available; some were collected from an old demolished house
which provided shelving material
that we mixed with new plywood.
As this store Aesop Aoyama is the
first and flagship store in Japan,
we have made their office visible
from the shop so that the lively
atmosphere of the office can be
seen from within the shop. The
stores gentle connection to the
neighbouring area is achieved by
the design of the faade; the sashes of the faade partly cover the
exterior walls, blurring the boundary between the interior and the
exterior. Viewed from the street,
the new store looks as if it has
long been part of the area.

Aesop Ginza

rick is the main material used for

the design of Aesop Ginza, the
second boutique of Aesop that
has been placed in an existing building.
Located on a street called Brick Street
(Renga Do-ri) in Ginza, the exterior walls
of the 35-year-old building are covered
with brick. A narrow frontage like the
one in this building tends to be less
eye-catching, but the brickwork of the
exterior walls has been continued into
the interior space, creating a distinct,
iconic store. Brick is usually applied to
a plane, such as a wall or a floor, but
here we used brick in a unique way;
we have used it for both the vertical
and horizontal surfaces.

Garden & Sea

by Takao Shiotsuka Atelier

e planned the first floor

as a place to enjoy a garden. The part facing the
garden of the half underground
is a glass window. By it, a slope
of the ground just appears as
form of the openings. The exterior floor covered with the white
gravel. Since it is surrounded by
the outside wall, outside can also
be felt like the interior of a room.
By place to stay and movement at
that time, relations with a person
and the ground surface change.

he second floor enabled it to

set up a sense of distance
with the sea variously in
the inside of a building. The both
ends of cylindrical space long in
the direction of marine are glass
windows. An indoor partition
wall is also glass. We can look at
sea side and the location of the
other side at the same time from
the room. Even if the sojourner is
in any place, he can see or feel
the sea.

Architects: Takao Shiotsuka Atelier

Location: Japan
Client: Private
Photographs: Toshiyuki YANO (Nacasa & Partners Inc.,)