The site is Notogawa-cho, Higashi Omi-shi in Shiga prefecture. It is five stories building with rental apartments for couples and singles and offices. It is situated at a junction within 5 minutes walk from Notogawa Station. The first floor is for offices and the 2nd- 5th floors are for apartment houses. The blue lines of this building makes the street corner in the town.
The lines of the balconies are undulating. They are waved at one point on each floor. This wave is gradually shifted towards the upper floors. The width of the curved balcony is enlarged little by little. Just device creates a three-dimensional effect for the architecture. By suddenly curving the even lines like a so familial musical score, a three-dimensional effect is created. Designing the shape of the rising bow of a ship by emphasizing the movement with blue color. Two grooves are made on the outside wall of the balcony. They are painted white, which emphasizes the horizontal lines of the blue and white balconies. The first floor is an office space. The color is changed there. It is painted with sand color to contrast with the blue lines of the upper floors.
Many people are stuck in reality, therefore it is an important time period to give a lot of attention to design even a street corner, that will not give us a sense of disillusion. This architecture has to express this point of view. No exaggerated extra cost nor excessive materials are used in this architecture. In such a contemporary construction style, it is our purpose of design to create in the factuality. It is the reality of a conventional town, that is why the corners has impact in the whole world.
It should be a low cost building, therefore the maximum visual effect is pursued with a minimum of design features.
This architecture pursues to emphasize the corner of the town as well as evoking a false illusion. An illusory blue ship that emerges suddenly can have an influence on the messy town and might stimulate our imagination.
