Glass and steel box into Japanese centenary cowshed
25/08/2015.
by Issei Suma [Kamiyama - Tokushima] Japan
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA
Behind the crumbling exterior of a 100-year-old cowshed in Japan's Tokushima Prefecture, architect Issei Suma has inserted a glass and steel office for a computing company.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
Remodelation by Issei Suma. Photography © Yasuyuki Deguchi.
"Do we kill this old hut? or let it be?"
The Tokyo firm Suma designed the 40 sqm structure to house a satellite office for an IT firm, named Koya and also based in the capital. Located in a rural village, it offers staff an escape from the pressures of city life. The office sits within the grounds of a farmhouse that has been abandoned since 2010. Rather than demolishing buildings, Suma chose to introduce the office into the old cowshed.
Description of project by Issei Suma
A satellite office of an IT company in Tokyo, located in Kamiyama, Tokushima.
Although the office is located in the rural district where the unspoilt landscape is still maintained, the office is fully equipped with the same digital infrastructure as the main office in Tokyo, leaving no stress to the employees.
While the office is built inside the cowshed, the 100 year old, beautifully aged structure is left untouched.
The steel structure sits detached from the cowshed, although in the case of major disaster, it functions as a keystone, preventing the 100 year old structure from collapsing.
CREDITS. TECHNICALSHEET.-
Architects.- Issei Suma
Contractor.- TANK, LOOWE.
Structure.- Steel frame.
Floor Area.- 40m²
Address.- Kamiyama, Tokushima, Japan.
More information
ISSEI SUMA
Issei Suma, born in Tokyo, 1976. Bachelor of Environmental Design, Keio Univ., 1999. Master of Architecture, Columbia Univ., 2002. Rockwell Group, 2004-2007. Voorsanger Architects, 2007-2010. Established SUMA, 2011.
Awards.-
2015 New Office Promotion Association, NIKKEI New Office Prize 2014
2014 JIA Shikoku Architectural Award, Award of Excellence
2014 JCD Internatianal Design Award Silver Prize
2013 Kajima-Publishing SDreview 2013
