by Arata Isozaki’s original building turns into a scarf shop in Japan
LoHA design studio led by Hiroshi Yamada and Toshitaka Shimizu renew The interior of a building in Katsuyama City, originally designed by Arata Isozaki in 1985. Located in Fukui Province, Japan, the first house structure ‘Nimbus’ turns into commercial use as a scarf and lifestyle store. Isozaki’s concept frames the exposed reinforced concrete structure In a 1050 mm grid and a ceiling dome that sculpts strict geometric forms and symmetries. Following the architect’s design principles, the project makes slight changes to the interior, opting for a flexible product display with soft variations such as scarves and sundries that seem to float in the room. The renovation includes a large table that can be reassembled and circular loops on the wall for hanging cables. The current Isozaki architecture is likened to ‘heaven’ and the activities of the people below it to ‘earth’.He adds the team, which refers to the title of the work ‘between heaven and earth’.
large table with glossy finish reflects light from raised dome | All images are courtesy of Kyohei Noda.
concrete geometric form sets up wire system to display products
design team adjusts the existing structure by adjusting the surface and framing to showcase products, and adjusting the exposed panels and fixtures in the original dimensions of the 1050 grid. The renovation plan includes repainting the existing fixture countertops, re-tiling the floor, and installing new fixtures. White and silver melamine overlays were applied to the surface of the table to highlight both the scarves on display and the concrete frame. Lauan veneer, a material that degrades easily over time, covers various surfaces in the interior, inviting guests to touch, sit on or feel a sense of physical scale. Between the bare gray concrete wall and the soft tile carpet floor, the opposite door leads into a speaker surround that mediates the contradictory textures that look at the composition of the opposite marble wall. Soft moss-like tile carpet is laid between concrete forms. The gray tones of both the rough and soft surfaces of the living room make the colorful scarves stand out. Several round loops attached to the wall were installed as a device for tensioning the wires and creating a hanging system for the display of products.
newly added large table can be reassembled and converted into two modules
the interior shapes a spatial composition reminiscent of Raumplan
