Haruki Oku+HARUKI OKU DESIGN
S APARTMENT 602
Words by HARUKI OKU DESIGN
Photography by Kenji Seo
A 45-year-old Japanese Apartment receives a modern reimagining from HARUKI OKU DESIGN, transformed into a light-filled and comforting family abode.
A 45-year-old Japanese Apartment receives a modern reimagining from HARUKI OKU DESIGN, transformed into a light-filled and comforting family abode.
HARUKI OKU DESIGN was tasked with a brief to convert one of the rooms in a 45-year-old, 8-storey office building near Shimbashi Station into a comfortable living space. The client was the owner of the building and the residents are to be the owner’s son and his wife, both in their 20s.
The building is a typical SRC structure rectangular building, and the subject room is compact, at approximately 37 m2. Therefore, in a normal renovation design, the plan layout is almost always determined by the existing frame, plumbing, and lighting conditions. In addition, the surrounding area is densely populated with commercial and office buildings, and the city is composed of various inorganic, hard, man-made materials such as concrete, steel, and resin. The team thought that their clients needed a calm and soft living space where they could relax while working in the city and returning home.
Therefore, in this project, while maximising the existing volume, they aimed to soften and tone the space by carefully studying four interior elements: "soft ceilings and walls," "furniture," "natural materials," and "sun light" against the certain solidity of the building's structure.
"Soft ceilings and walls"
While observing the skeleton, the team felt that the existing beam, located right in the centre of the plane, gently divides the space. First, the living space and bed space were zoned based on this existing beam. Next, a gently curved ceiling was installed across the entire plane to adjust the edges of the existing frame. The ceiling was intentionally offset from the frame to create an appropriate margin between the ceiling and the frame. These margins are arranged in a "L" around each space, with indirect lighting, curtains, and air conditioning embedded in them. No extra noise is generated in the ceiling, and the connected ceiling with a sense of depth creates a space with a sense of unity.
"Furniture"
The built-in furniture was newly designed as a freestanding individuality, without being identified with the architectural space. The project targets a room on the 6th floor, and the 7th and 8th floors will also be renovated into the owner's residence in the future. It is envisioned that the couple will rotate residences within the same building as the family grows, such as the birth of a child. It can accommodate the possibility of future occupancy by people other than the current occupants as rental housing. In addition, the bed space and living space are vaguely separated by built-in furniture and curtains so as not to disturb the depth of the one-room space. The built-in furniture is not made to the height of the ceiling, and the light flowing in from the top suggests the depth of the space.
"Natural materials"
The ceilings and walls are made of plaster derived from natural materials, the floors are solid oak flooring, the built-in furniture is made of linden wood, and all paints are also derived from natural materials. The particle size and composition of the plastering aggregate are determined by studying the ceiling and walls to ensure that they absorb and reflect light appropriately. The colour palette was controlled so that the ceiling and walls are seamlessly connected, with a gradational change in brightness for the ceiling areas and a lowered brightness white base for the walls. The interior elements are based on the use of natural materials and a neutral space that exudes the colours of the residents' lives, based on a colour palette of earth tones and calmness.
"Sunlight"
Natural light is effectively diffused through the gently curved plaster ceiling, and the shades of light and shadows change from moment to moment with the passage of time. In addition, the relationship between the interior elements and the existing frame, as well as the handprints of the hand-plastering work, are transformed into the quality of light.
"Conversion to Beautiful Building Stock"
Many buildings constructed around the 1960s are now in need of renewal and repair. In addition to mere renewal and repair, a renovation plan that can easily keep pace with changes in business structure is required. This project aims to increase the value of existing buildings by adding new value to them through the joint efforts of the client, builder, and designer. It is an attempt to convert the building into a good architectural stock in the city.
This project has resulted in a building with a rich variety of uses and a diverse urban lifestyle, with an apparel store on the first floor, offices on the second through fifth floors, and residences on the sixth through eighth floors.
