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      Century-old Japanese dwelling transformed into minimalist guesthouse

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      Japanese architect Uoya Shigenori stripped back and reconfigured this 100-year-old townhouse in Kyoto to create moody and tranquil interiors for Maana Kamo guesthouse.Located in the historic Higashiyama District, the hotel was designed by Shigenori for Maana Homes, the owner of a collection of luxury retreats hidden within some of the Japanese city’s old streets.

      The main living room inside Maana Kamo guesthouse
      The goal of the renovation was to preserve and expose the dwelling’s original structure while creating a minimalist retreat for quiet contemplation.
      It has been shortlisted for the hotel and short stay interior of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2020.

      Its guestroom can be adapted into a yoga space

      “Preserving and highlighting the house’s imperfectly aged beauty is the backbone of our design philosophy,” said Maana Homes.
      “The beauty and soul of a traditional Japanese townhome is in its structural elements.”

      The kitchen has a central island covered with layers of Urushi
      Prior to the renovation, Maana Kamo was in a poor condition with unsightly vinyl wall coverings, tile ceilings and broken floorboards.
      These finishes were all removed, exposing the old house’s rough, wooden structure and original walls that are made from clay.

      A double vanity features in the new moody bathroom
      These original details have been teamed with dark, moody furnishings and subdued lighting, alongside new timber walls and floors lined with traditional straw tatami mats.
      Ornament is kept to a minimum throughout, while storage spaces for the hotel staff are disguised within the walls.

      Events space opens inside revamped century-old machiya house in Kyoto

      The lack of ornament is to ensure Maana Kamo guesthouse is “visually quiet” and free from distraction, providing occupants with space to slow down and reflect.
      It also allows rooms to be easily adapted, for example, a guest room on the second floor can be quickly converted into a space for yoga and meditation.

      The decoration is limited to a few handcrafted ornaments
      One of the biggest changes Shigenori made to the dwelling was the repositioning of the kitchen from a narrow space at the rear of the dwelling to a larger area at the front.
      This made space for a large kitchen island that is covered with layers of Urushi – a traditional Japanese lacquer made of tree sap that is water-resistant –and a wall of wooden cabinetry and shelves filled with local, handcrafted kitchenware.

      The building’s original structure clay walls are exposed throughout
      Where the old kitchen once stood, Shigenori has inserted a double-vanity bathroom with a shower that overlooks a private garden at the rear of the dwelling.
      The guesthouse is complete with an oversized Japanese-style bathtub that is accessed from the living room. It has a view out to the private garden and is intended to evoke the feeling of bathing in an onsen – a Japanese bathing facility positioned around a hot spring.

      Its old and dark wooden structure has also been revealed throughout
      In 2016, Shigenori collaborated with Masashi Koyama on the restoration of a century-old machiya house in Kyoto to create an events space. Similarly to Maana Kamo, the goal of the design was to celebrate the architecture and history of the space.
      Other projects up for short stay interior of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2020 include the small Escondido Oaxaca Hotel in Mexico by Decada and Carlos Couturier and OHLAB’s extension of a rural hotel in Mallorca.
      Photos are courtesy of Maana Homes.

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      Case-Real contrasts plaster and steel inside Aesop store in Shinjuku

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      Coarse plaster walls offset glinting stainless-steel display fixtures in this restrained store that architecture studio Case-Real has designed for Aesop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.The Aesop store occupies a glass-fronted retail unit in Shinjuku, a buzzing, tourist-heavy ward of Tokyo populated with bars, eateries and neon-lit billboards.

      Case-Real used just two materials to create the store’s simple interior
      When it came to designing the store’s interiors, Case-Real wanted to capture both what it describes as a sense of “artificial chaos” that permeates Shinjuku and the natural quality of Aesop’s skincare products.

      The locally based studio decided to use two contrasting materials that it felt reflected the dichotomy of natural and artificial – plaster and steel.

      Plaster covers the store’s walls, while steel has been used for display fixtures
      All of the store’s gently curving walls are coated with coarse beige plaster, which leaves behind a textured surface finish.
      The same plaster has been applied to a section of the store’s facade, creating a simple backdrop for Aesop’s logo.

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      Paint in the same beige hue has been washed across the ceiling and floor.

      A counter where customers can test products is also made from steel
      Shiny stainless steel has then been used to craft a series of lengthy display shelves that bend in line with the walls and several low-lying cabinets where extra stock can be hidden away, complete with steel handles.
      The metal has additionally been used to make the store’s service desk, as well as a long counter inbuilt with round washbasins where customers are invited to test out products or observe demonstrations from staff.
      A border of steel has also been created around the entrance doorway.

      Plaster gives the walls a rough surface finish
      The only other feature that Case-Real has incorporated in the store is a chunky plaster bench seat supported by cylindrical steel legs.
      It has been placed directly in front of a window that looks onto the busy streets of Shinjuku, allowing customers to quietly sit and people-watch.

      Plaster also appears on the store’s facade
      Case-Real was established in the year 2000 and is led by designer Koichi Futatsumata. Four years ago, the studio designed the interiors of another Aesop store in the Japanese city of Sapporo, covering its walls with locally-sourced volcanic stone.
      The studio’s Aesop Shinjuku store is shortlisted in the small retail interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards. It will compete against projects such as the Pinocchio, a tiny 4.5-metre-wide bakery in Yokohama, and the Glossier pop-up in Seattle, where products are displayed amongst grassy mounds covered in wildflowers.
      Photography is by Daisuke Shima.
      Project credits:
      Design: Koichi Futatusmata, Yuki Onita (Case-Real)Construction: &SLighting plan: BRANCH lighting design (Tatsuki Nakamura)

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      Pinocchio is a tiny bakery in Japan decorated in the colours of bread

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      Design studio I IN has used warm, golden hues to decorate the Pinocchio bakery in Yokohama, Japan, which displays bread and pastries on minimalist shelves.Measuring at just 4.2 metres wide, Pinocchio sits in front of Oguchi train station and has been decorated to match the delicacies sold within.
      The tiny bakery project, which I IN also calls Small Icon, has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the small retail interior category.

      Top image: Pinocchio has been decorated to match the delicacies sold inside. Above: The bakery is just 4.2 metres wide
      “Though the space was extremely limited, the store asked to have a strong identity with the facade and interior,” said I IN.

      “Vivid gradient and soft textures that express the quality and colour of the bread are spread both inside and outside the store,” added the studio.
      “It expresses the soft charm of the bread itself and allows the customer to feel the world of bread with their entire body.”

      Pinocchio is spelt out in a slim, sans serif font above the doorway
      The interior and exterior walls are rendered in a textured material that has been painted with a golden hue, like the crust of a freshly baked loaf or a flaky croissant.
      “A plasterer who works in the performing arts collaborated with us,” said the studio. “Along with the vivid colour, the surface has a dense and bold texture.”

      The interior and exterior walls are rendered in a textured material
      Pinocchio is spelt out in a slim, sans serif font above the wide, square doorway. Glazed doors are set deep into the thick outer walls.

      Six bakeries and sweets shops with delectable interiors

      Inside, the ceilings have been painted to match the crust-coloured walls.
      A corridor of wooden floorboards runs down the centre of the shop, flanked by corridors of flooring that have been delicately sponge-painted in bready colours.

      The bakery interior features crust-coloured walls
      The bakery has only 30 square metres of floor space, so the designers created an uncluttered interior that focuses on the products.
      Two rows of minimal floating shelves made of wood run along both walls and around corners. Spotlights on the ceiling and under the topmost shelves bathe the baked goods in a soft glow.

      Two rows of minimal floating shelves line the walls
      Based in Tokyo, I IN is a design studio that was founded in 2018 by Yohei Terui and Hiromu Yuyama.
      More bakeries with interiors that are good enough to eat include this sugar-pink bakery in Ukraine and an artisanal flour shop and bakery in Canada painted in shades of caramel.
      Photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.
      Project credits:
      Client: Yokohama shokusanArchitect: I INConstructor: LegorettaLighting design: I IN

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      Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Yokohama spotlights natural materials

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      Oak chairs sit amongst paper yarn-wrapped columns within this Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Yokohama, Japan created by Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects.The Blue Bottle Coffee cafe occupies a glass-front building in Yokohama’s bustling business district, Minatomirai, and looks out across a leafy public park.
      This setting became a key point of reference for Tokyo-based studio Keiji Ashizawa Design, which has exclusively decked out the interiors of the cafe with natural materials.

      Top image: Paper yarn wraps around the cafe’s columns. Above: A curved bar is at the centre of the floor plan
      “We have aimed to create an atmosphere which welcomes the local community by mainly using wood, inspired by the park located by the Blue Bottle Coffee Minatomirai,” said the studio’s eponymous founder, Keiji Ashizawa.

      “The building acts as the main character of the park and provides a feeling of kindness with the natural materials in the industrial-looking landscape.”

      A local park inspired the natural material palette of the cafe
      The open floor plan of the cafe is dominated by a huge half-moon service bar, behind which staff prepare drink orders. Its base is clad with slats of light-hued timber, while its countertop is made from flecked grey stone.
      Pale timber has additionally been used for the cafe’s flooring and its circular tables. Timber also forms smaller decorative elements like the menu board and a couple of oversized, ring-shaped lights that have been suspended from the ceiling.

      Norm Architects designed the seating throughout the cafe
      A series of white, spherical pendant lamps that hang above the cafe’s high counter provide extra light as evening falls.

      Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects pare back Tokyo apartments

      In keeping with the natural material palette, braided paper yarn has been wound around the lower half of the grey support columns that run along the periphery of the room.

      Some of the chairs are upholstered in creamy leather
      Keiji Ashizawa Design asked long-term collaborators, Copenhagen-based practice Norm Architects, to devise a range of seating for the project.
      The practice designed three chair models made from Japanese oak wood: a traditional cafe-style chair, a tall bar stool and a slightly more formal dining chair that’s partially upholstered in creamy leather – its low, curving backrest is meant to draw subtle reference to the cafe’s architecture.

      The frames of the chairs are made from Japanese oak
      All of the pieces were produced by Karimoku Case Study, the sister brand of Japanese manufacturer Karimoku which collaborates with architects across the world to design furnishings.
      Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design had first worked with Karimoku Case Study back in 2019 on the launch of its inaugural Kinuta collection.

      The facade of the cafe is made from glass
      “For us, there couldn’t be a better partner to team up with than Karimoku,” explained Frederik Werner, partner at Norm Architects.
      “They uphold a unique quality and approach to the manufacturing of wooden furniture, maintaining a focus on the craftsmanship combined with the latest robotics, making sure that their philosophy of ‘high-tech, high-touch’ is truly embedded in each furniture piece leaving the factory.”

      Customers can spill out onto an outdoor seating area
      This is one of several Blue Bottle Coffee cafes in Japan, with others located in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kobe.
      The coffee brand was founded by James Freeman in 2002, starting out as a small roastery in Oakland, California before growing into a network of cafes across the US and Asia.
      Last year saw Blue Bottle Coffee open its first branch in South Korea, which was designed by Schemata Architects. The cafe is situated in the artsy neighbourhood of Seongsu and features sparse interiors dotted with timber furniture and red-brick display plinths.
      Photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.
      Project credits:
      Design: Keiji Ashizawa & Norm ArchitectsConstruction: #TankFurniture: Karimoku Case Study

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      Shuhei Goto Architects turns lecture hall into multi-level work space

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      Shuhei Goto Architects added large, stepped boxes to a former lecture hall to transform it into a playful multi-level office in Shizuoka, Japan.The Shizuoka-based studio worked with creative agency Loftwork on the project, called CODO, which was designed for logistics company Suzuyo’s head office in the city.

      An auditorium, which had previously been used for in-house events, was turned into a multi-use room where employees can work or take their breaks and the company can hold events and lectures.

      Shuhei Goto Architects’ design was informed by the 913-square-metres room’s high ceiling height. It added box-like steps to its periphery to fully utilise the existing space and allow people to circulate freely.

      “By fully utilizing the space in all directions, a new sense of distance among those present is generated, which is totally different the sense of distance in conventional office spaces,” the studio said.
      “Those working side by side don’t feel disturbed by each other’s presence because their eye levels do not coincide, or conversely, those sitting apart from each other feel interconnected because their eyes meet.”

      The stacked steps, which the studio describes as “too large for furniture and too small for architecture”, can be used as benches or tables, or simply as raised platforms to add seating on different levels of the room.
      A walkway between the stacked boxes connects two sides of the room, and details like soundproof built-in phone booths and a cantilevered viewing platform give it a playful feel not usually associated with office spaces.

      When the company hosts events, one of the boxes serves as the stage and others as seating areas.
      As the building is used as an emergency evacuation shelter for the area, the hollow steps of the boxes can also be used as storage for emergency supplies.

      Shuhei Goto Architects used wood to create the multi-level boxes and added pale-coloured, sheer curtains to the windows.
      “It’s a multi-use material: for sitting, walking, or writing,” said Shuhei Goto Architects  founder Shuhei Goto.
      “The double curtain-lace and shade is printed in gradation colour,” he told Dezeen. “The double gradation makes it look like natural light is leaking out.”

      Shuhei Goto’s Floating House in Ogasa features two-tone cladding and a 360-degree window

      Different materials were used for the floors on the different levels, with the floor of the space itself made from concrete and the lowest-level platform made from hardwood flooring.
      Some of the upper levels were carpeted to denote a difference in the areas.

      “This office was designed as a prototype for offices in a new era of innovation, based on the idea that today’s office space needs some room for flexible renewal and updates initiated by employees themselves,” the studio said.
      The CODO project has been longlisted for a Dezeen Award in the small workspace interior category this year.

      Shuhei Goto Architects was founded by Shuhei Goto in 2012. The studio has previously created the Floating House in Ogasa and designed a residence formed of four connected, house-shaped volumes.
      Photography is by Kenta Hasegawa.
      Project credits:
      Project management and creative direction: Loftwork Layout UnitArchitectural design and furniture design: Shuhei Goto ArchitectsStructural design: Tetsuro Adachi/OAK plusWood coordination, furniture production and furniture production direction: Hidakuma Inc.Curtain design: Studio Akane MoriyamaSign design: Hokkyok

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      Tree rises up through centre of House in Yoga by Keiji Ashizawa Design

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      A greenery-filled courtyard lies at the heart of this home that Keiji Ashizawa Design has created for a family of five in Tokyo’s Yoga neighbourhood. Located just outside of the bustling, shop-lined streets of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, House in Yoga is designed to let its inhabitants experience the outdoors in an urban context. The house, […] More

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      Steel and concrete steps cut through facade of Stairway House by Nendo

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      A huge faux staircase interrupts the floor plan of this house in Tokyo, which design studio Nendo has created for three generations of the same family. Stairway House is situated in a quiet residential pocket of Shinjuku, a ward of Tokyo known for its neon-lit buildings, bustling streets and vibrant nightlife scene. The three-storey home […] More