Renovation of an apartment in Asao, Kawasaki
A family of four, a couple and two children, decided to renovate their home when the children grew up.
In a renovation, the living area is not increased significantly, but the living space can be changed dramatically by simply using the space for other purposes or organizing it to a suitable size. We proposed a living space that fits the family's current lifestyle by "arranging" the home, without the need for novel ideas that would drastically change the planning.
The renovation was an opportunity for us to examine closely the necessities of life. We believe that "arranging" not only the space but also its contents will deepen the "relationship between people and things".
For example, instead of having several pairs of scissors in the house, one pair of scissors would be placed in a specific place and used carefully by the whole family. This will lead to a feeling that the next time you buy a pair of scissors, you should buy a scissors that are a little more special, and you will become attached to them, resulting in a long-lasting relationship with them. In this way, the amount of storage space in the entire house and the balance between the living space and the storage space will be determined by accumulating detailed considerations such as where to store the scissors.
In this case, too, the process uncovered a small area that had not been visible before, and we were able to allocate it to the space needed for the current lifestyle, such as expanding the living room, increasing the size of the water system, securing desk space in the children's room, and arranging a family closet.
The client owned some antique furniture. In addition, we added antique furniture necessary for current living and asked Shunsuke Tani of "on the shore" to help with the interior styling so that the furniture would stand out in the simple space. Designing with the furniture to be placed after completion in mind in advance, we can also enjoy building the house together while imagining a specific lifestyle, such as a vase of flowers or a picture we want to display. Mr. Tani also proposed the idea of continuing to use the sofa, which we had planned to replace, with a new cover only.
The main purpose of renovation is to improve performance, such as insulation, and to repair deteriorated equipment and finishes, but it is also an opportunity to decipher the family's way of living and "organize" the things and the home so that they can continue to be used for a long time. I think it is important to continue to use and keep in touch with your home for a long time, especially in this day and age when there is so much information and choices available.
Team:
Design: Buttondesign
Supervision: on the shore
Construction: Jyukankyo Japan
Photography: Masaki Komatsu
