[ad_1]
Tenjincho Square: Tokyo’s hidden green retreat
Japanese studio Hiroyuki Ito Architects Recently, the newly opened Tenjincho Place apartment more complicated than TokyoBunkyo District. The building is located on the edge of Yushima Plateau, overlooking the road leading to the famous shrine. The rapidly growing area has undergone a major transformation in recent years, with restaurants replaced by apartment complexes. The studio’s design addressed two key challenges posed by the site – the unusual shape of the plot and the limited natural light resulting from surrounding high-rise buildings.
Image © Masao Nishikawa
Courtyard apartment building designed by Hiroyuki Ito
The heart of Tenjincho Plaza is its central courtyard, designed by Hiroyuki Ito Architects to ensure a light-filled atmosphere. A three-pronged approach was taken to ensure a bright and open feel. first, architect Minimize the number of corridors on either side of the courtyard. By converting the end of the corridor into a two-storey duplex apartment, they effectively reduced the corridor’s footprint and minimized the formation of shadows.
Next, the design features side openings facing the courtyard, creating balconies for the residence and public areas. These openings allow light and air to enter the space from multiple directions. Finally, the team applied a unique textured treatment to the 30-meter (98-foot-tall) courtyard walls. By using unconventional materials as templates, they aimed to achieve a linear yet irregular appearance that enhances the feeling of even the slightest light filtering into the space. The courtyard is designed with the potential for public interaction, with uses including coworking areas, cafes or markets.
New apartment building in Tokyo solves challenges of curved plot and limited natural light
Support sustainable forestry practices
The formwork of the central courtyard incorporates sustainable design elements. It was built from Japanese cedar logs from the Wooden Station Project in Mitake City, Chiba Prefecture. The initiative aims to support healthy forests by purchasing thinned timber and forest residues from local owners. The forestry industry has recently been challenged by fungal diseases that weaken and permanently damage tree trunks. By discovering the value of these materials, Hiroyuki Ito Architects seeks to contribute to sustainable forestry practices.
Hiroyuki Ito Architects designed a central courtyard as the heart of the complex
During construction, the logs were sliced thin, leaving the bark on one side, and then fastened to plywood to form the formwork. This technique transfers the organic shapes and textures of raw wood to concrete, creating a courtyard where light and shadow play. The resulting texture evokes the image of a church in ruins, adding depth and character to the grand space. The central courtyard is intended to provide residents and future visitors with a respite from the urban environment.
To improve lighting, corridors on either side of the courtyard were minimized and replaced with duplex apartments
[ad_2]
Source link