The idea of the Japanese architect for this project is based on a reinterpretation of the traditional ways of meeting in the area of Niigata, Japan. The entire project under the same roof, all possible activities concentrated and protected from the harsh climate of the area.

Plate is a project developed in a natural area, a forest, actually an old grove surrounded by an agricultural area, where Takuya Hosokai, a young architect trained mainly in European studies (OMA, BIG, Ensamble...), has tried to integrate materials and contemporary techniques, mixing them with traditional types and forms.

Description of project by Takuyahosokai

Isolated within a seemingly endless stretch of flat, idyllic countryside, a small but dense forest emerges into view.  Occupying 4500 square metres, the ancient copse has been preserved and nurtured in its rural setting. Nestled within this unique environment the project acts as small museum.  It consists of a market selling locally farmed produce and goods, a restaurant serving dishes using only locally grown ingredients (based on the Chisan-Chisho concept of local production for local consumption), and an event space hosting exhibitions and concerts for the community.

Gently sloping terrain and naturally dispersed trees, dappled sunlight and rustling leaves provide visitors with a comforting and dreamlike backdrop. The building is orientated to appear as if it is submerged in the forest, in order to help visitors detach from their everyday lives and experience the forest from the inside. Visitors can enjoy the sight of the roots emerging beneath their feet and leaves flourishing overhead. We considered the architectural program as Chisho, the act of consuming local produce, and have therefore designed the architecture as a platform to remind visitors of its origin, Chisan.

The site is located in an area which is subject to heavy snowfall in winter. In response, the vernacular downtown shopping streets are covered with elongated roofs, called Gangi-Zukuri, which disperse the heavy snow. The formal concept therefore derives from the notion of a extended roof unifying several shops in a street.   The same roof links the respective spaces: the market, kitchen and event space.  The Gangi roof can expand to accommodate elements which may be added in the future, creating harmony between old and new.  The project will retain a sense of ordered chaos; the architecture will grow organically as it is passed on to future generations.

The building employs the typical construction methods used in a single-storey wooden house. Widely utilised materials, metal brackets and joints, are carefully selected and positioned with respect to both the spatial and structural requirements.

The roof of the event space must be capable of supporting snowfall of up to 1m in height across an area of 12㎡. Careful consideration has been given to the placement of the cross-braced frames such that they provide sufficient structural integrity whilst retaining a sense of openness which was an essential characteristic in the brief.

Although seismic activity was a major concern regarding the structural design, it was important that east and south facing walls provided clear, unobstructed views of the forest. The gable walls have been designed to transmit seismic forces from the roof plane by forming a truss with the ridge beams. Secondary support is provided by isolated columns in the floor plan, thus removing the need for cross bracing which is present in the shear walls.

The market, kitchen and event space each have different roof forms but remain physically connected. For this reason, the transmission of horizontal forces between the elements became an important consideration. To resolve this issue, the variations in the roof levels are supplemented with reinforcing walls.

At the entrance to the site, the Gangi frame is made rigid by binding the junction between the capital and beam with a double ended bolt. This allows the structure to remain compact, resting on simple columns, without the need for walls or a braced frame.

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Architects
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Architect in Charge
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Takuya Hosokai.
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Design Team
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Takuya Hosokai, Satoshi Hasebe, James Hull.
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Area
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267.0 sqm
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Project Year
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2015.
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Builder
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HIROSE Co., Ltd.
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Site area
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4,500.0 sqm.
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Photography
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Naomichi Sode.
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TAKUYAHOSOKAI is an architectural atelier in Tokyo, Japan, established by Takuya Hosokai in the fields of art, architectural design, urbanism and cultural analysis in 2005. Takuya is a first class authorized architect in Japan.

He received the Master of Excellence in Architecture in 2005 from Yokohama National University in Japan, and graduated with distinction for exhibiting his thesis project at the 1st International Architectural Biennale Rotterdam as a part of the Tokyo Ring Project in 2003 from the same university. 

From 2008 to 2011 he worked at AMO / OMA Rem Koolhaas and BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group as a senior architect on numerous large scale regional planning projects. During this time he lived in several countries, in the US, South America and Europe, for his research in world life, culture, history, economy, religion and politics.

In 2011 he resided in Madrid, Spain, carrying out studies into radical structural design and innovative materials with Antón García-Abril at Ensamble Studio. For this research he received a grant from Arts and Culture Division Cultural Affairs Department Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan.

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Published on: March 10, 2016
Cite: "All under a roof. Plate by Takuya Hosokai" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/all-under-a-roof-plate-takuya-hosokai> ISSN 1139-6415
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