portfolio Yuta Masuda

増田 雄太

Masuda Yuta

Mail : masuda.yuta.64c@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

y.bb.1.dwf1@gmail.com

Tell : 0744809591

Instagram : msd.archbase

■　Profile

1998　Born in Sayama, Japan

1999　Moved to Kanagawa, Japan

2001　Moved to Kumamoto, Japan

2004　Moved to Nara, Japan

2017　Graduated from Nara High School

2018　Entered the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Osaka City University

2022　Graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Osaka City University

2022　Entered the Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Architecture, at Kyoto University

■　Work Experience

2018　Participated in Nara no Ki University

(a program where participants learn about Nara's wood materials on-site during a 3-night, 4-day camp)

2019　Short-term study abroad at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA)

(as part of an engineering program, including factory visits and lectures)

2019-2021　Worked part-time at Takenaka Corporation, involved in model making

(assisting with drawing preparation and model making)

■　Award 　2021.02　the Best Design Award at the Osaka City University Graduation Design Final Review

Reconnecting Architectural elements

Architectural elements like pillars, walls, roofs, and stairs create or block connections.

Sometimes, they become part of these connections, shaping spaces, structures, and how people gather.

Adding a simple move or transform to these elements changes connections.

This is an experimental project that expands the possibilities of renovation.

Selecting the site, building, and theme entirely on one's own

When I returned home, I found myself reexamining my own house.

Reconnecting ordinary daily life

From now on

Grandmother, Parents, myself

Until now

20 years ago

10 years ago

grand parents parents parents water facilities water facilities grand mother grand mother children children

Next spring,

This

Phase 1

1 year later

Grandmother, Parents

Phase 2

20 years later

Parents, my family

Phase 3

40 years later my family, my office

I will begin living on my own.

is a turning point for our house.

Existing Current

Residents : Grandmother, Parents, myself

Once, in this house, my grandmother, parents, and three children lived together.

Structure: Steel Frame

Residents: father, mother, grandmother

me (Living alone since spring)

(brother and sister have their own homes)

The house is in a residential area in Nara. My grandparents used to live here, and my mom spent her early years. Recently, lots of young families moved in, bringing new energy.

Phase 1

1 year later

Residents : Grandmother, Parents

Creating living functions on the first floor for elderly grandmother and parents. Suggesting changes in both architecture and lifestyle while keeping the house functional without being too open to the outside.

①Stairs

Efficiently connect the inside of the first floor and inside of the second floor

②Roof and wall

③Pillar

Boundary surface separating the connection between outside and inside Structurally connect the first and second floors

Invert Shift Shift

Connect diagonally the inside of the first floor and the outside of the second floor Partially connecting and partially separating Physically connect the first and second floors

The staircase in my house made a 180-degree turn. As I entered the living room, it was filled with bright light and the refreshing scent of fields.

With all three children grown and gone, the flow between the first and second floors isn't as important. By flipping the staircase, it becomes a link between the outside and inside at an angle. This, of course, changes how each room connects. The second-floor rooms now have access from an outside corridor, while on the first floor, it's through the living room. The second floor is now a space for the parents' hobbies and is used as a separate area.

When the roof shifted, a whole new 'outside' revealed itself. There was the 'outside' wearing a hat, and another 'outside' cozily wrapped in a blanket.

The shy pillar, after much hesitation, finally emerged from the wall. Surprisingly, with just one, it seemed like a whole new connection had been formed.

By adjusting the roof, we can create a "covered outside" and an "enclosed outside."

I want to make an outdoor space on the second floor for Dad's workspace and Mom's cafe terrace. The space surrounded only by walls on one side considers privacy for the neighbor, while the space surrounded only by the roof forms a cozy area along the rooftop garden, protecting from sunlight and rain.

The columns, once concealed in the walls, now shift down with the roof. These visible columns not only connect vertically but also act as a clear boundary within the space, creating a gradual transition from inside to outside (inside, inner edge outer edge, outside).

④Wall ⑤Wall ⑥Door

Structurally connect in the vertical direction

Gather on the edge

Visually connect in the horizontal direction

Halt the horizontal connection

Connect two rooms indoors

Lean Extend

Connect only wind and light horizontally

Gather closely to the corner, where secrets whisper. It's a place where light and wind are welcome.

The wall leaned gently, as if sharing a secret. Whispers of the wind and the warmth of the light echoed through.

Connect two rooms, inside and outside

Suddenly, a door emerged from the wall, revealing itself to the world. Anyone watching from outside would notice, 'Ah, the door just made its move

Grandma loves watching the neighbor's camellias from the window, a tradition since the old house days. Unknowingly, that spot lets her see both of our gardens. To open up the view, we used columns and braces at the edges. And for Grandma's wish, we added a cozy indoor space, like a veranda.

I want to let in fresh air in the kitchen but block the view from the neighbor on the north side. I decided to tilt the wall to capture sunlight and breeze while maintaining privacy from the neighboring house.

To enhance security at night and seal the space during air conditioner use, the door extends outside to cover the gap created by step ⑤. Even when open, the door acts as a barrier.

Phase２

20 years later

⑦Slope

Connect different heights without steps

Draw in extensively

Smoothly connect outside and inside

⑧Window ⑨Chimney

Boundary stopping the connection between outside and inside

Connect the attic and outside with the wind

Shift Extend

Partially connect and partially separate

The slope wanted to be part of us, so we invited it into our home. Everyone welcomed it!

This window holds memories of grandma. Now, it'll be like an invisible wall, keeping an eye on us.

Further connect light and air within the interior

Wonder what happens if the chimney gets taller?

Maybe light falls right in the middle of the house.

To bridge the 1.7m height gap between the road and floor without an intrusive ramp, the design leverages the ramp's ability to smoothly blend the outside and inside. This helps incorporate the surrounding environment into the interior space effectively.

Grandma's memory window. To boldly integrate the slope, we removed surrounding walls but kept the window. The once-hole-in-the-wall window is now a transparent barrier, allowing sight but preventing passage. It serves as a buffer between outside and inside, silently watching over the home.

Originally built for symbolic purposes and to maintain the environment in the attic, the chimney now extends to the first floor, becoming a pillar of light and air. It serves as a column of light and wind, reaching up to the attic, including the pillar for the staircase that provides access to the attic.

⑩Door

Connect two rooms indoors

Enlarge

Decide how three or more rooms connect

⑪Inspection hatch of the foundation

Connect the foundation horizontally

Lower the floor level

Trigger a pause in people's movement

Doors kept getting bigger until they turned into huge walls.

Found a secret hatch that wasn't noticed before. When the floor went down, it became a nice little seat.

⑫Beam

Structurally connect horizontally

Extend

Serve as a hooking point

If beams stick out more, they can unexpectedly hold many things.

A door that originally only connected two rooms becomes influential in other spaces as it grows beyond its frame. The expanded door's opening and closing now bring about significant changes, altering the overall shape of the space.

A pathway for inspecting the foundation—a hole that connects horizontally through an inspection opening, transitioning into a recess that serves as a trigger to stop people from moving. By bringing in a large slope, previously unnoticed foundation inspection points have now become visible.

The structural beams, extending beyond the walls, transform into hooks that hold various connections such as tools for the garden, partitions, and sometimes even play equipment.

Phase 3

40 years later

Residents : my family, my office

Bringing in a community beyond the family with a personal office. Making further changes in the cross-sectional and outward-opening directions

⑬Roof ⑭Exterior wall

⑮Beam

Protect at the outermost part of the building Brock the connection between outside and inside Structure extending horizontally

Shift Rotate

An icon that strongly represents the 'outside' Connect outside and inside in a specific direction

The roof wants to be inside the house. Strange. It looks like outside, even though it's inside.

The roof shifting causes the familiar idea of the "roof" and its association with the "outside" to change. The roof, which has always protected the building from the outside, now enters the interior, creating a curious space that feels like the outside even though it's inside.

Lower the floor level

Boundary line extending horizontally

The wall turns a bit. Light and wind pour in. Before I knew it, I found myself looking in that direction.

Light and air enter through the gap created by rotating the exterior wall. The directionality formed by the rotation of the wall not only brings light and air but also invites a specific line of sight.

Various beams appeared. Let's play this way with you, and that way with you over there.

When the floor drops, the beams become rod-like boundaries. Beams at different heights from the floor partially divide the space and create interesting points. Making an upper floor and designating the ground floor as an earthen floor allowed for lowering the overall floor level.

⑯Pillar/Beam

Generate connections following the grid

Shift pillars

Generate horizontal connections off the grid

How about a little deviation? That's where it gets interesting. That's where new lines are born.

⑰Stairs ⑱Exterior wall

Connect upper and lower floors as a pathway Outside, wall, inside

Erase partially Peel off

Connect views and light, and halt people's movement Outside, exterior wall, semi-outside, interior wall, inside

Moving some columns off the grid increases the horizontal connection options from four to six. As columns shift, the wall directions also change, causing a cascade of various connections to shift.

Only steps left on the staircase. Let's take a moment to link them together.

The symbolic red wall. Peel it away, and underneath, it expands.

The place where the staircase used to be now only has the steps remaining. It allows light and views to pass through, but people cannot walk through it. It becomes like a semi-transparent wall.

By removing only the exterior wall panels and placing them slightly outside the wall, a space is created that is neither entirely outside nor inside.

The distinctive red-brick appearance, symbolic of this house, continues to remain.

3075

2675

1715

1FL

2FL

3FL

Through the window to the next room, you can see the roof. Rethinking architectural elements makes for a unique experience.

Rethinking different architectural elements creates a space where you can't tell if it's inside or outside. Various quirks collide, supporting each other to make something unique.

Children run around inside the house on the slope brought in. It's not just a path but also creating a new play area.

Beams appear above the floor, 300-700mm high. Instead of complete walls, there are openings, revealing the previously hidden beams in a fun way.

Toward an uncertain and exciting future...

02

Incinerator Sublimation

Incinerators quietly handle tons of waste every day. As soon as the incinerator stops working, people often demolish it without hesitation. Is that really the best course of action?

By removing the negative legacy's exterior, we can discover its contents, invite light, air, and plants, and give it a new purpose—becoming a place where people live.

Discovering the potential in the building and its surroundings, reevaluating its value.

This project turns the negative legacy of an incinerator into something positive.

The site and building for conversion are chosen by myself. The only specification is to convert it into a collective housing unit.

As I came to throw away garbage, I came across an abandoned incineration facility.

Reconnecting the future of architecture with societ y

park

station

site

site of new university under construction

N

The original building was an incineration plant in Morinomiya, Osaka. It has been decided to demolish the building, but no takers have been found. The site is near the university's new campus.

Existing building cross section

Exterior view of existing building

Living within vast and intricate machinery creates a space where inside and outside blend together

the top of the new void that cuts diagonally

place where leftover ashes gathered

place for dumping collected garbage

the lower parts of pillars and incinerators stand in a row

former ash pit

former garbage pit

By not making box-shaped rooms, the residents' lives room, leading to connections and interactions.

Remove the ALC panels from the steel frame, leaving the frame in place.

inviting light and air to reveal its interior.

In 50 or 100 years, if this building lasts, vines may grow, welcoming light and air.

In the future, plants, animals, the building, and people might live together peacefully.

03

Symbiotic Learning

This school is in an area with offices, and the student count might change from 620 to 1000 to 700 due to new condos. This plan suggests a unique school design for this site that can handle changing student numbers.

Having the school near offices allows students to see work daily, and the company can share its initiatives in a new way. Even though safety and privacy are kept in mind with separate areas, adults and kids can inspire each other, leading to flexible and creative activities.

The site is predetermined, and the task is to create a new elementary school that accommodates fluctuations in student numbers

Upon arriving at school, I started to question the concept of 'school'.

Reconnecting education and work

school grounds

restaurants parks site 38

promenade

Stores open to the town, such as restaurants, are gathered.

around the site.

The existing buildings (nursing home, commercial facilities, and

into the building, making large use of the two-block city block.

plan

Kindergarten

Elementary school

Elderly Care Facilities

Commercial facilities / gyms

Students at the end of class look at their work through the glass.

Commercial facilities / gyms

Elderly Care Facilities

Elementary school

Kindergarten

2F

3F

4F

The wide corridor created by twisting the ellipse becomes an open space

The south side park will be a hangout for the diverse people who gather at the complex.

A project inspired by lichen, focusing on their layered structure and the symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae through mycelium.

The building integrates pipes to facilitate the flow of processes like power generation, water storage, production, development, consumption, and distribution.

Design a building utilizing biomimicry on a predetermined rectangular site. The buildings designed by 16 students are situated adjacent to each other. As part of a project, there is a need to create a building with the volume completely filled, measuring 15×25×15 m.

04

Li tube

I saw a large box-shaped building. It would be great if there were more connections and interactions.

Reconnecting education and work

We divided the vast site among 16 students, and each student designed within a 15x25m plot. I planed the fourth plot from the right. There is a river on the north side, and a major road on the south side.

Lichen

Lichens are complexes of fungi and algae in a symbiotic relationship ( Lichen ≠ moss )

Volume Strengths fungi

+

algae

majority absorption absorb water, etc

exchange through mycelium

photosynthesis minority making sugar from sunlight

cross-section of lichen

a: Upper Epidermis

b: Algal Layer

c: Medulla or Marrow

Connections, tubes are important

d: Lower Epidermis

e: False Roots

program

Collection : Gathering solar energy and rainwater

Savings : Storage of electricity and water

Agriculture : Fields where temperature and humidity are controlled : A food-related company that also manages rooftop farms

Restaurant : Serves harvested ingredients from R+ and menus developed by R+ companies

Exhibition : Displaying research on food companies and agricultural products

Distribution : Sending stored electricity and water to other buildings

cross-section

F restaurant

elevation

south facade

05

Spaces become architecture when there are boundaries.

Fixed boundaries create stable architecture. However, architecture exists in various movements.

Can we see architecture as dynamic? Using water and glass, the design represents architecture not just as movable but as part of movement itself.

Assignment on Exploring 'Movement' in Architecture. The site and building are to be personally determined.

The world is moving. Why doesn't architecture move as naturally as everything else? Is there a wall that brings connections instead of separating them?

Reconsidering wall that separate connections

concept

~Architecture in "movement"~

Water changes

The sun and weather change on a scale of seconds, minutes, days, months, and years,

Absolute Physical Boundaries

water + glass

Boundaries in Motion

Boundary itself physically moving aryi tself p m ary

The nature of the boundary and its

Between the visible and invisible

principle

the greater the curvature of the convexity, the

When there is no water, the wall is transparent.

right sides appear to be reversed.

dynamic pressure

static pressure

dynamic pressure. theorem is also used. The water surface rises and falls slightly, giving the impression of movement

dynamic pressure

static pressure

the siphon principle.

The inner wall is indented, the water level rises Water gradually soaks out of the permeable concrete surface, but

plan

Two waterways spreading across the site have convex sides and bend.

A more private space is located inside the overlapping glass walls.

The wall supports the upper part, and the water that pours down runs through the wall.

Drops of water are collected along the

study collection

Contrast Emphasis

The museum that you can enjoy the intriguing distortion of scale created by the combination of artworks and architecture.

It produces unique spatial experiences that couldn't be achieved in a traditional white cube museum.

At times, you enter cramped spaces, then you reach a point where suddenly the view opens up.

Design an art museum in a park in Osaka. The artist is to be personally selected.

What would a museum be like where artworks and architecture become one integrated entity?

Connecting artworks and the city through architectur e

By sinking and

Many of his works are very much larger or smaller in scale than reality, while representing the human body in surprisingly minute detail.

Ron Mueck

site artist

The triangular park was both a blank space within a dense group of buildings and a plaza for a short break.

lifting the volume, it reduces the building density at line-of-sight height and takes over the traditional role.

Large volumes are placed with trees and functions in mind

advantage of shape

creates more gaps than square columns creates a sense of direction and draws people in

coupe A

coupe B

scene

At the end of the spiral staircase, light on the work

Suddenly, a huge hanging display

At the end of a dark and narrow street, a work of art and a window

The largest window opens the work to the city

Weaving Clouds

“Knitting”, which is born from a single piece of string, has many possibilities.

We consider a new form of architecture inspired by knitting, which has been loved over time.

It is like a wavering masonry structure, a soft whole created by the solid connection of every single stitch.

This project was created collaboratively with eight students.

Can knitting and architecture be connected?

Architecture created from connections

diagram

wavering masonry structure

an arch

a dome

Leg part

+ Organized and grounded by legs

temporary architecture. This created the possibility of a variable mechanism that could stably contract and expand .

a thread

a brick

plan

shades of gray can be produced in the shadows.

Referencing the "Pantheon," we designed a cross approaches the apex of the dome. The number of ropes to be woven

60 kg

▽ 4000mm×4000mm

Joint part: PLA resin made by 3D printer

△ Roof line

Instead of completely enclosing the space, it creates a mysterious, calm, and exclusive

Leg: Round cypress rod

6

2710g / piece

Casters: rubber wheels

Depending on the scene, the height of the entrance lowers to expand the space. When you sit in the chair, you cannot see the face of the person inside from the outside, but you can feel someone's presence there.

Exhibition at the Workshop Cafe

Other Projects

A project to design the renovation of the lab I belong to. We explored ideas and decided to use existing furnitures to create

To 'build' is an act of separating the external and internal, essentially creating a distance from nature. Here, the idea is not to draw a complete boundary between the interior and exterior but to design a distance with nature.

①

the inside and outside.

water in the house.

Connecting the ground and dining with sound.

Public and private areas move.

Extended water tank covers the toilet. The world distorts through

The extended bookshelf, not shared with visitors.

Pipes from the kitchen spread cooking sounds throughout the house.

The laundry rack goes up and down with the weight of clothes, showing how dry they are.

A narrow alley runs through the middle of the property. The overall plan was created by four people, and each person contributed their ideas for the detailed plans in the divided sections.

The alley in the middle is only 6 meters wide, causing a privacy challenge for buildings facing each other. To solve this, we staggered the buildings alternately in the east-west direction. This resulted in an L-shaped layout, which we cleverly used to gather communal spaces at the corners and adjacent windows at the corners.

Pass. des Chalets

Rue Villebois lMareui

Rue du Goulet

Avenue

Victoir Hugo