Experimental Architecture
S Y U KO K AT O A r c h i t e c t u r a l P o r t f o l i o 2 0 0 6 - 2 0 1 2
Experimental Architecture For me architecture is a process of realizing a site’s potential, exploring possibilities and instigating actions which come from questioning the assumptions that are made in the traditional disciplines of design. I endeavor to find fresh approaches to design which go beyond these traditional disciplines. My experience over the past eight years is reviewed here in brief. The diagrams illustrate how my ideas have developed through experimentation and process. From a viewpoint of “interactive design,� which gave birth to my thought processes, these cases of experimental design suggest that the concept of space design could be extended far beyond conventional boundaries. Thus interactive communication may be encouraged in a variety of fields thereby creating a fusion of disparate disciplines, which may previously have been considered to be irreconcilable.
Contents T-HOUSE 2009-2010 Private House 78.66 ㎡ Kugayama Church 2008-2009 Private House / Church 223.06 ㎡ Maison DOUZE 2008-2009 Housing 533.20 ㎡ a+d project 2010 dance performance 78.66 ㎡ La Bouaie Retreat Centre 2012Dance studios / Flats / Private Residence 1950 ㎡ Kogakuin University Student Center 2009 University Student Center 9,630 ㎡ Hokusai Museum of Sumida Design Proposal 2008 Museum 4,920 ㎡
OGAL PLAZA 2008 - (under construction) Urban design 11.8ha
OGAL PLAZA Public Library 2009 - 2012 library / child care center / tenant / marche 6567.42 ㎡ Haruhino Housing Project 2009 housing 2773.71 ㎡ Ichihara-city Waterfront-Sculpture Hill Proposal 2009 Museum / renovation 533.20 ㎡ Dakar Flats Project 2011Flats / Private House 1500 ㎡ Jeddah Residence 2011Private House 900 ㎡ Street Library (Diploma project) 2006 Urban pathway (Library / Park) 3,000 ㎡
n at io ul re g ac k tb
certain height
se
c e r t a i n he i ght
se
se
c e r t a i n he i ght
tb
tb
ac k
ac k
re g
re g
ul
ul
at io
at io
n
n
: beam : column
Volume
Structure 1st floor
Plan
Living
Atelier
Kitchen
Room
1st floor
Atelier Kitchen
Living
Living
Atelier Kitchen
1st floor
T-HOUSE
1st floor
1st floor
1st floor
The site is rich and green, located not far from the center of Tokyo. The owner, an artist, wanted to arrange and extend his atelier space into the living room. He also wanted a wall of bookshelves
2009-2010 Location: Tokyo, Japan Private House 78.66 ㎡
with a good view of the back covers. The first floor was thus totally allotted to one room where he would spend most of the day, the other rooms being arranged on the ground floor. Saw-toothed factory-type roofs with large openings of glass were formed to the South and to the North to maintain good ventilation, and light from the sky. This arrangement of rooms attained a notable effect of expanding the sense of space, while the division of the room is made naturally by sunshine shifting slowly along with the change in daylight. The transcience of the seasons as exhibited by the color of the forest is taken in through the view.
Position: Project Architect •
Managed project with responsibilities for all process.
•
Prepared and presented feasibility reports and design proposals to the client.
•
Produced detailed working drawings and specifications.
•
Resolved problems and issues that arose during construction.
sum mer
win ter
AC
AC
2
4
3
5
6
1 Dining 2 Living 3 Atelier 4 Bed Room 6 Tatami Room
section scale 1/200
Professional experience
5 Entrance Hall
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
　　
1
from north side forest
119.5 650
75
300
1 Dining 2 Living 3 Atelier 4 Barcony 5 Room 6 Entrance 7 Tatami-room 8 Bath room 9 Storage 10 Terrace
70
2730
119.5
2730
4550
1
W=2600
2275
3 2
4 70.5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
4
4125
880
960 ｗ450
70
ｗ860
119.5
820
17
70
300
350
1820
11
05
850
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
119.5
first floor plan 800
3185
910
1820
2730
119.5
PS
PS 70
365
85
70
350
365
70
85
floor board W850 D300
70
access bole 600×600
shelf
glass wool 24ｋｇ/㎡
300
AC 1680
1870
85
300
85
119.5
350
119.5
8645
shelf
Walk-in Closet
7
2730
2730
5
1650
1650
690 750
70
70
2
3
3 2 1 200 200 200
119.5
64.5
119.5
119.5
70 119.5
64.5
310.5
9
860
350
70 70
1
W 600
Storage
1100
64.5
909.5
64.5
450
820
750
shoes shelf
731
70 600
240
1820
85
240
960
1140
8
750
6
750
1820
10
750
750
790
70
4550
glass wool 24ｋｇ/㎡
4550
10
ventilation fan distribution board
N
ground floor plan scale 1/100
3185
910
1820 8645
2730
▽building hight
1 Living/Dining/Atelier 160
2 Entrance hall 3 Bath room 4 Closet eaves base： Ｌ-30×30×5 rust proofing paint +ＳＯＰ eaves board： polycarbonate board ｔ6 bolt＠200 (SUS domed cap nut)
1465
5 Barcony
eaves gutter： galvalium steel panel bending
roof： structural ply wood ｔ18 silicate calcium board ｔ10 asphalt roofing purlin ｔ30 galvalium steel panels rib-seam joint heat insulator 24ｋｇ/ｍ3
ventilation fan panel： punched japanese lindesh veneerｔ4
smoke detector ＢＰＬｔ18 2-Ｍ16
smoke detector
310
ceiling： ply wood ｔ12 japanese lindesh veneerｔ4
stainless Steel sink Ｗ860 Ｄ510 Ｈ２２０
2250
microwave oven
balustrade：steel pipe bended +ＳＯＰ top rail 30φ balustrer 10φ strut 20φ
balustrer： steel pipe 12φ rust proofing paint +ＳＯＰ
5
stainless Steel sink Ｗ４７０ Ｄ４４５ Ｈ２００
balustrade： hot-dip gavanizing steel balustrade 30φ baluster 12φ strut 20φ
210
▽first floor level
chestnut flooring ｔ3 with under floor heating plywood ｔ9 structural plywood ｔ12
2-Ｍ16 ＢＰＬｔ18 G3
1176.5
1000
barcony base pole： steel pipe 48.3φ×ｔ6 rust proofing paint+SOP ＊joint:steel pipe 30φ
ceiling： ply wood ｔ12 japanese lindesh veneerｔ4
210
710 barcony flame： steel pipe 48.3φ×ｔ6 rust proofing paint +SOP
ventilation fan
bracket light
2
counter Ｗ1140
900
1250 40
FRP water proofing structural plywood ｔ12
bath room mirror 450φ
4
floor： chestnut flooring ｔ3 plywood ｔ9 structural plywood ｔ12
▽ground floor level
Washing Machine Pan 750 size
floor board： chestnut flooring ｔ3 plywood ｔ9 structural plywood ｔ12
▽GL
floor：
20
345 325 200
800
wall：
3
2100
run：oak（ＯＳ+ＵＣ）
650
2250
2500 2460
three-sided mirror
960
ventilation fan
ceiling ： FRP Waterproofing structural plywoodｔ12
beam： 150×105
Professional experience
40
floor： barcony board： steel grating base angle Ｌ-50×50×6 rust proofing painting +ＳＯＰ
floor： FRP water proofing structural plywood ｔ12
150
780 650
polyvinyl chloride flooring ｔ3 plywood ｔ9 structural plywood ｔ12
2730 960
1820
910 8645
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
510
3720
1
1100
7070 6910
balustrade top rail： steel pipe 30φ rust proofing paint+ＳＯＰ ＊joint: steel pipe 15φ
aluminium Composite Panel
kitchen shelves： pine laminated veneer lumber
850
2250
5
picture rail（W3.5M)
inside : heat insulator grass wool 24ｋｇ/ｍ3 plaster boardｔ12 japanese linden veneerｔ5.5+osmo color （Ｖ6 part:structural plywood ｔ12.5 +japanese linden veneerｔ5.5）
ventilation fan
890
4896.5
tie rod： steel pipe 20φ rust proofing paint +ＳＯＰ
curtain rail
aluminium channel C-80×40 lighting duct
external wall ： outside: structural plywoodｔ12 waterproof sheet furring stripsｔ18 UB board acrylic paint
3720
4065 4025
eaves flame： steel pipe 30φ rust proofing panint +ＳＯＰ
3185 800
sectional details scale 1/50
Volume
Density
chapel residence
Circulation
chapel
chapel
section
Kugayama Church
kitchen
residence residence
section
section
This church was located at the dead-end of a narrow lane to a densely inhabited neighborhood in the western suburb of Tokyo. On the top of a small hill and surrounded by buildings on almost all sides, this church could only be noticed from one corner where an
2008-2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Private House / Church 223.08 ㎡
entrance was located. The chapel and the related functions were arranged into the basement, approached via exterior stairs. The pastor’s residence was open to a spacious patio mainly used for the communal activities. Climbing up the hill, and descending the deep stair lead to a dark prayer space. At the end of which worshipors would find the cross hung under the unexpectedly strong sunlight introduced from above. In contrast with this dark realm below, the upper sphere was fully lit through the central patio. A narrow path under eaves and pergola provided a transitional zone. Although there was essentially no garden, the approaching lane and the stairway to the basement were fringed with rich vegetation to cut the view from the disturbances of the outer world.
Position: Assistant Architect •
Joined team and discussed the objectives, requirements and budget of the project.
•
Assisted the project architect in producing drawings, models and images.
•
Adjusted and clarified the legal conditions including negotiations with the government office.
DN
12
8 4
12
3 1
11
10
2
6 6
5
ground floor plan
7
6
6 9
basement floor plan scale 1/400
1 lounge
2 patio 3 dining 4 kitchen 5 bed room 6 lavatory 7 bath room 8 entrance 9 hall 10 chapel 11 pastor's room 12 office
8
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute Professional experience
basement floor chapel
1
2
5
3
6
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lounge Patio Dining Kitchen Chapel Office Pastor’s room
7
sectional details scale 1/100
Pit Pit
Professional experience
south elevation scale 1/100
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
second room water surroundings
work space
Section
Plan
Circulation section
maison DOUZE
section
section
This was a scheme for housing and studios for twelve artists. We designed the scheme to gain the maximum volume allowable within the legal conditions of Japanese regulations.
2008-2009 Location: Saitama, Japan Housing 533.20m2
Each unit had a ceiling height of four meters to allow for the production of large sized art work. The kitchen and bathroom were made smaller and lower to allow a loft space above which doubles as a sleeping area. This arrangement allows diagonal space and an expansion of the perceived area of the apartments as well as cross ventilation and views.
Position: Project Architect •
Managed the project from start to finish.
•
Negotiated with contractors and other professionals.
•
Visited the site regularly to check on progress, ensuring that the project ran on time and to budget.
Professional experience
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
A'
first floor loft plan
1 Main entrance 2 Entranc 3 Room 4 Kitchen 5 Bathroom 6 Terrace 7 Loft
A A'
first floor plan
A A'
ground floor loft plan
7
A A'
ground floor plan 4
5
3
2 1
6
section scale 1/500 A
1 2 3 4 5
5
Main entrance Entrance Storage Closet Loft
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
2
4 3
5 2
4
Professional experience
1 3
A-A’ section scale 1/100
Rooftop - City
Plan
dancer
Dancer - Audience
audience
a+d project 01
audience
dancer
audience
audience
dancer
audience
A personal project is presented. An experiment was conducted to create space based upon considerations on the simillarity of the concepts involved between
2010 Location:Tokyo, Japan performance
“Architecture” and “Dance”. This project was started stimulated by the interest that the terminology of architecture and of dane somehow looked equivalent. Grasping the meaning of the extracted sentences of architecture and dance, trial was done to search for a new space. We proposed to create a small architecture on the rooftop of a small building in a city, so as to produce a space for realizing the experimental stage that could possibly appear in the extension of our daily life. The rooftop spaced about twenty square meters, as was very narrow even for several visitor’s seat, and left least space for dancing. Here is contrived, however, a small construction of a sheet of cloth with pleats and gatherings in order to yield spatial effect of “depth” in a limited space. Two dancers gave birth to various movements, perceiving information, compatible with own size, issued from the small construction.
Position: Organizer •
Architecture: Hisashi Takayama, Syuko Kato
•
Dance: Aya Sato, Syuko Kato
S =1/ 100
Personal Project
p l an
a + d Project
Initial study 01
Initial study 02
dev el opment
S =1/ 100
Final form model
Performance at the roof
IMPERMEABLE
PERMEABLE
ROOF SCAPE + GROUND SCAPE = NAVIGABLE
A-A
A-A
A-A
B-B
B-B
B-B
B
B
B
Site Section
A
A
Plan
A
A
A
B
B
B
A
Taking the roofscape and applying it to the land, so that groundscape echoes roofscape.
La Boulaie Project 2012Location: Brittany, France dance studios / Flats / Private Residence 1950 ㎡
A development in Brittany, France. The owner, an artist/dancer had a vision to create a resource for the performing arts in nature. His particular interest was movement and improvisation. The aim was to create a retreat centre for performing arts, set in a farming area of rural France, converting and re-designing old farm buildings to dance studios and accommodation, also landscaping areas both in the internal court yard and adjacent field and orchard. Proposed ideas were to organize experimental spaces. The facilities were designed so that the perceived experience of navigating the space was different for each visitor. An interesting example of this concept is demonstrated in its public space, which did not require signage. People would discover novel ways of navigating the site, regarding the form and geography of the buildings and gardens which would challenge the senses and conventional perceptions. The result was to emphasize the owner’s concept of ‘improvisation’.
Position: Architect •
Managed project with sole responsibilities.
proposed site plan
proposed site section
Professional Work
SYUKO KATO / Studio AnD
reception
perspective view entrance
SYUKO KATO / Studio AnD
lake / cow shed / stables / existing building structre
Professional Work
existing court yard view
Kogakuin University Student Center
Presented is a plan for a University Campus located in Hachioji, Tokyo. The site of the University is situated halfway up a mountain. One can get a bird’s eye view of whole the surrounding campus, and far down to the houses and streets of Hachioji town. “Two-fold Academy Rings” floating on “The Common Hill”
2009
The lecture rooms, the laboratories, and the other offices were so arranged as to form two-fold rings-structure with corridors
Location: Tokyo, Japan
following the traditional style of a college enclosing a courtyard.
University Student Center
Further, this open space of the courtyard rich in green was designed on a hill. The rings were constructed as if they looked like
9,630 ㎡
floated on the piloti, and the administration offices were situated beneath the courtyard of a hummock, named here “The Common Hill”, because it presented an easy access to the lecture rooms. Thus any access via piloti from the surrounding buildings of the campus was guaranteed, and the access paths to the offices became also smooth. The administration offices in the underground took advantage of the location that could receive light from above the hill. This configuration secured both realizing good views from the neighboring center down to the towns, and also enabling the lower height of the buildings. Position: Assistant Architect •
Arranged the qualification of the competitions for the first discussion.
•
Joined competition team and discussed concept design.
•
Prepared materials, such as models and CG images, and put them into one sheet of the presentation board.
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
Environment
Professional experience
Volume
Access
Hokusai Museum of Sumida Design Proposal
“A Casket floated in the sky” This proposal is for a Hokusai Museum planed in the site near the new Tokyo Tower under construction. The principal requirement for the new plan was a building that could contribute to the inhabitants of the city in a variety of their
2008
activities.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
The site neighbored a park facing to the main street of the name of Hokusai.
Museum
The new building was so planned as the citizens could make good use of the facility in their daily lives. An interface to function
4,920 ㎡
a smooth access to the building was formed in succession to the park. Above on the site was structured a wooden casket in a form of floating in the sky that took a precious collections and the material of Hokusai. The casket was equipped with display and information retrieval apparatus. It was expected that the museum might present a sight familiar with the citizens, as if a landmark floated in front of the park.
Position: Assistant Architect •
Arranged the qualification of the competitions for the first discussion.
•
Joined competition team and discussed concept design.
•
Prepared materials, such as models and CG images, and put them into one sheet of the presentation board.
Professional experience
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
Museum - City
Plan
OGAL PLAZA
This project was planed to connect the west side of the station in the pastoral area with the east side that featured the historical district ”Hizume” of an old post town once crowded for a few hundred years.
2008- (under construction) Location: Iwate, Japan Urban design 11.8 ha
The site was divided into three zones. Firstly the green principal street consisting of the municipal office, the library, community studio, store buildings, and a public square among those buildings, secondly the neighboring residential zone, and thirdly the peripheral zone of the site. The respective zones were so planed as they would “echo” with the neighboring districts depending on the proper background of the respective regions; 1. The green principal street was planed in reference to a scenery of an old village spread among the windbreak forests called “Egune”, 2. In the residential zone was adopted a “southern cornered housings” consisting of a stable and a residence jointed in the form of a letter “L”, as were often popular since the old time in Shiwa. A design guideline was further organized so that the designing of the streets and the buildings on the sites could be positively controlled. This guideline was made full use of in creating and maintaining environmental conditions of the town, in which the inhabitants and the visitors find the beauty and the prosperity, as well as of the cultural consistency. Position: Assistant Architect •
Joined team and discussed the objectives, requirements and budget of the project.
•
Assisted feasiblity study such as searching the local area conditions and similar scheme of the urban design project.
•
Assisted producing design guideline, making models and images.
Area
tradittional old area
paddy area
residential area paddy area
vacant lot
tradittional old area
green street & park sports ground
residential area
N
residential area
residential area
residential area
residential area paddy area
tradittional old area
green street & park sports ground
residential area
residential area
Site Residential zone Green street zone
TYPEⅠ
TYPEⅡ
TYPEⅢ
TYPEⅣ
TYPEⅤ
TYPEⅥ
square
Ｌ- ①
Ｌ- ②
square
Ｌ- ①
Ｌ- ②
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
The peripheral zone
site ＴＹＰＥⅠ～Ⅲ ＴＹＰＥⅣ～Ⅵ
Professional experience
form
car
strage southern cornered housing
gate・wall・fence
public landscape 1m inside between the line
paddy area
OGAL PLAZA Public Library
This project was of the first building as belonged to the OGAL Urban Design Project. A library was planned to be constructed at the site near a station facing the green principal street. The plan was characterized as
2009 - 2012 Location: Iwate, Japan library / child care center / tenant / marche 6567.42m2
to realize a facility in which not only the citizens could utilize it but also cultural exchanges among the citizens were to be actively promoted. Thus a large scale two-storied building of the floor space over 6,000 square meters was designed, in which the building consisted of three wooden-structures separated by two reinforced concrete-structures. This configuration enabled to apply for a large-scale complex-use wooden building. Further more, this scheme of the wooden building reduced the cost, and also contributed to use local wood, and so to reinvigorate local economies. In addition to the configuration of the complex building scheme, methods of construction were examined in detail to allow not only possible choice of the conventional Japanese method but also the wooden structure with the beautiful “mansard roof” that presented pillar-less space in the upper-story, as of the structure by Inayama Masahiro.
Position: Assistant Architect •
Joined competition team and discussed the objectives, requirements.
•
Assisted the project architect in producing drawings, models and images.
•
Adjusted and clarified the legal conditions and the budget of the project.
500 300 550
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500 300 3000
800 3000 550
8910 150 410
300 5460
1820
1820
1820 5460
1820
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1820 5460
1820
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5000 5500
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1820 5460
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1820 5460
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1820 5460
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1820 5460
1820
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5460
450 700
Section S=1:1000
△GL
200
200
200
1820
▽1FL
1290 1090
2000 1500
750x500
2000
700
250
Y6
1820
180
2130
250
Y5
6000
Y4
6000 27300
Y3
5460
Y2
3460
2000
250
450 700
250
2000
2130
250
1820
4180
6000 27300
5460
3460
2000
250
1820
3390 5460
Section S=1:1000
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
190 150 1850 1500
750x500
Y7
1820 250
Marche
library
△1FL
Professional experience
public library
▽2FL
4200 3900
300
8160
civic hall
tenant
4150 3600
12710
studio
▽2FL
190
clinic
studio
exhibition space
300
11960
3600
EV hall
4200 3900
8160
4200 3900
300
3600
11960
exhibition space
child care center
▽2FL
2
F C E D
B A
private garden
private garden
bridge outside stairs common space upper level alley
upper level alley
exploded projection site plan
10m
50m
100m
exploded projection
scale 1/2000
section through alley
Haruhino Housing Project
scale 1/600
Speculative housing development project in Tama New Town in the metropolitan suburb of Tokyo, which was inaugurated in 1960’s and is coming to the final phase. The main market target is the upper-middle class residents with preference of the affluent suburban
2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan housing 2773.71m2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
life to the urban conveniences.
car parking space entrance bedroom living dining powder room roof-top terrace private garden upper level alley bridge
13 terraced subdivision lots returned to the land owner after the land readjustment6works executed by governmental agency. Despite 5 3 the stringent design guideline imposed by the agency to the house owners or developers, the existing townscape is not esthetically
satisfactory like other suburban developments around the metropolitan area.
3 1
7
8
9
2
2 rows of linear blocks of terrace houses comprising 16 L-shape units share a central alley. Each of the units are provided with lawn 4
patio, roofed parking for two cars, and roof-top garden. Thus the residents could enjoy the relaxed life of suburbia. This project was meant to be a proposal for an alternative housing development in this New Town, which turned out to be a miserable disaster of 20th cross section
scale 1/200
century urban design. Within the basic L-shape unit envelope, a variety of room plans are prepared to adapt to the preference of the occupants. In order to enhance the multifarious expression, the four sides of the blocks are painted in four colors according to the orientation of the wall. The staggering walls create a multifarious townscape with harmony found in traditional communities in many areas in the world. Position: Assistant Architect •
Assisted the project architect in producing drawings, models and images.
•
Created feasibility studies, adjusted and clarified the legal conditions and the budget of the project.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
car parking space entrance sub entrance bedroom bathroom living dining kitchen terrace roof-top terrace private窶トarden common space
9
9
9
9
9 9
9 9
9
9
9
9
9
9
5 9
9 7
6
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
4 6
roof floor plan
5 5
4
7
4
4 4
7
4
6
7
5 5
4 4 6
4
4
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4
4 4
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4 4
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Professional experience
8
4
5 6
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6 7
7
4
4
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first floor plan 4 1
3
5
4
4
upper level alley lower level alley outside stairs / bridge private窶トarden
10
1
3 4
5
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4 5
4
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3
3 10
4
10
4 2
2 4 5
2 7 1
10
3
3 4
1
2 4 5
10
ground floor plan
7 1 3
6
10 5
11
3 4
2 4
1
1
3 4
6 1
4
32
2
3 4
10 3
2
4 2 10
10
10
6
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4 2
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3 2
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10
4
4 5 1
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2 7
2 4
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10
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3 1
4
2
10
4
10
5m
10m
20m
50m
scale 1/600
Ichihara-city WaterfrontSculpture Hill Proposal | Competition
“The Ichihara-city waterfront-sculpture hill” was opened as a base of the municipal sight seeing, and also of the cultural activity in the city. However, the museum has given rise to various problems in its facilities, functions, and also in the concept itself occurred due to the temporal change in the society. Thus a proposal was required that can renew whole the museum as the municipal basis for art and culture, “The loop gallery and the art garden”.
This project aimed at creating a space that allows the visitors to enjoy both art and picnic on the basis of the location in which one can 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Museum / renovation
command the most attractive view of the lake, while the original basic structures are mostly maintained. One solution to this requirement was a plan to extend the arc of the existing facility to a circular gallery that surrounded the site, thus enabling one to fully enjoy the changing views and the works of art by walking around the garden. Further, a moss plant harmonizing with the surrounding green field was arranged on the walls so that the environmental influence is considerably decreased. In the garden encircled by the loop gallery were spread out-door art, the exhibition halls, the atelier for the artist-in-residence, the shops, and the café, in the manner as the visitors would feel like being welcomed in the course of the respective tour from a point to another. The garden led through the lakeside under the loop, on which was formed a space conveniently utilized for a music concert, and also for a variety of events. All the citizens and the sightseers would hopefully be familiar with the place.
Position: Assistant Architect •
Joined competition team and discussed the objectives, requirements and the concepts.
•
Assisted the project architect in producing drawings, models and images.
Site
Professional experience
Yasumitsu Matsunaga / Modern Architecture Institute
Dakar Flats Project
The site was located on the peninsula, facing the Atlantic Ocean, in the forefront of West Africa. Client wished to have a building with his own house on his property of 20 meters wide and 25 meters deep. The building had five floors and a basement, providing owner’s
2011Location: Dakar, Senegal Flats / Private House 1500 ㎡
house on the top two floors, six flats for rental dwelling spaces on the upper two floors, and a social area of entry hall, gym, and lounge on the ground floor, the basement being allotted for parking. A gap was created between neighbors and building volume by setting back, and also the building volume was floated so that the property gained improved privacy and secured space for private area. The volume itself was opened to the west, and each space was organized in accordance with the outside deck space. This construction further allowed open-plan living room under warm temperature with natural light featured by vast luxuriant views expanded toward the ocean and the historical context. In owner’s house, a swimming pool was set between living room and external balcony. Here the inhabitant within the room would perceive no boundary between the surface of the swimming pool and the sky, while the surface of the pool gave rise to various impressions, depending on the temporally and seasonally changing weather. The volume was wrapped with screen so that internal spaces gained patterns different from those at facade. The thickness of the screen and the gap between screen and the windows could yield effect of a dynamic buffer of shadows. The inhabitants would enjoy the filtered light as well as a plenty of natural light on the balcony. Position: Project Architect •
Managed project with responsibilities .
•
Prepared and presented feasibility reports and design proposals .
private space (bed room / shower room)
25m gap
common space (living room / dining room)
barcony
security
20m
view
gap
Professional experience
Carbon Design Associates
air
Jeddah Residence
The site was located in historical Arabic area, Jeddah, a port city on the east coast of Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea. It was originally suggested to plan three single contemporary villas using two typical lots with approximately a 30-meters frontage by
2011Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Private Residence 900 ㎥
35-meters deep for each lot. Here a plan of internal design was proposed for the young generation family that could gain good harmonization with the traditional Arabic living style of strict privacy. The plan was so developed with particular emphasis on the transient space between common area and the private rooms that the area for common use was left open for all the family, while each private area was placed independently to keep sufficient privacy. The common spaces were arranged in a manner as to form a wide aisle. In the respective divisions and the corners along the aisle were employed a kitchen and a living room with study areas, while bedrooms and private seating rooms were placed separately. Another important feature of the house was a courtyard provided with a pool. This space conveniently connected the transient spaces to each other, giving rise to different viewpoints at the respective inner spaces, and also serving sufficient light and ventilation. Here a deck opened to the courtyard through louver contributed to keep comfortable atmosphere, if the climate was often hot in Jeddah. Position: Project Architect •
Managed project with responsibilities for all process.
•
Prepared and presented feasibility reports and design proposals to the client.
Professional experience
first floor plan
Carbon Design Associates
ground floor plan
STREET LIBRARY
A new concept of "an urban pathway" is proposed that would possibly draw inhabitants with the regional history and its color into the existing buildings, and so contribute daily to create new activities just by presenting transient places in which a variety of
2005-2006 Location: Yanaka, Japan Urban pathway (Library/Park)
voluntary interaction among them could more happen. In the course of the research attempted to re-examine how people tend to select their respective communities among urban spaces at the traditional downtown attention was focused onto the fertile public space where the narrow streets run and cross like web among the unique residential districts of complexity. This is the aim of the scheme to reform the open space so that the new urban pathways are contrived to lead and connect to the existing community center, and work as active streets rather than passive space keeping good privacy and safety isolation in the city, hopefully compatible with the traditional features of the old communities.
Diploma work for batchelor’s degree
Volume
Site
Personal Project / Diploma Work
Circulation
View from a street to the library
SYUKO KATO Studio AnD / People in Spaces Unit A4 Arena Design Centre 71 Ashfield Rd. London N4 1FF TEL : +44 (0) 7789 197 416 E-mail : katosyuko@gmail.com Website : www.studio-and.co