'le 49' by apollo architects and associates, kanagawa, japan
all images courtesy of apollo architects and associates
image © masao nishikawa
set upon mount kamakura in kanagawa, japan is 'le 49', a single family dwelling by japanese architect satoshi kurosaki
of apollo architects and associates. overlooking sagami bay, the two-storeys of staggered volumes reveal framed views after
an internal procession to the upper level. triangular pilotis emerge from the sloping terrain to support the structure.
at ground level, an entry corridor leads to a master bedroom and bath along with a workshop with access to an adjacent
outdoor courtyard. a memorial tree is planted within the garden, enclosed with the home's concrete base and open to the sky
so the leafy canopy may surpass the top edges of the walls as it grows over time.
white stairs lead to the off-set first floor, creating a constrained glimpse of an intricate wooden ceiling drawing inhabitants upstairs.
upon ascension, the entire pentagonal roof is revealed as well as the delicately crafted details of the framework's steel
and wooden beams. diversely sized windows respond to the surrounding greenery and ocean, becoming larger for the dramatic vista
towards the city and bringing the landscape to the interior. sliding glass doors stretching the width of the balcony allow an
open connection with nature and the outdoors. the kitchen's appliances are cleanly stowed into the wall, accentuating the minimalist lines of the exterior's form.
interior illumination reveals the staggered placement of the concrete volumes
image © masao nishikawa
view of balcony from the entrance
image © masao nishikawa
(left) entry corridor
(right) ground level bedroom
images © masao nishikawa
ground level courtyard adjacent to the workshop
image © masao nishikawa
master bedroom and bath
image © masao nishikawa
stairs to common areas
image © masao nishikawa
upper level
image © masao nishikawa
pentagonal roof tops the kitchen and living area
image © masao nishikawa
(left) kitchen
(right) living area with a framed view to the forested mountain
images © masao nishikawa
view of kitchen from living area
image © masao nishikawa
balcony
image © masao nishikawa
daytime view to sagami bay
image © masao nishikawa
balcony at dusk
image © masao nishikawa
view of living area from kitchen
image © masao nishikawa
kitchen and living area
image © masao nishikawa
(left) detail of the roof's apex and joining of wooden beams
(right) view towards balcony from stair
images © masao nishikawa
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level 1
section
section
elevation
elevation
elevation
elevation
project info:
architecture: satoshi kurosaki/apollo architects & associates
photography: masao nishikawa
location: kamakurayama kamakura city kanagawa
date of completion: december 2011
principal use: private house
structure: steel
site area: 111.92m2
total floor area: 182.70m2 (79.29m2/1f, 103.41m2/2f)
structural engineer: taro yokoyama
mechanical engineer: zenei shimada
exterior finish: hydorotect colorcoat eco-ex
floor: rose wood flooring, tile
wall: acrylic resin vernish
ceiling: acrylic resin vernish
'vissershok container classroom' by tsai design studio, cape town, south africa
all images courtesy of tsai design studio
tsai design studio is a creative practice based in cape town, south africa, that uses a multidisciplinary approach to generate innovative solutions to design and architecture. the firm was one of the speaker's at this year's design indaba conference, south africa's major design event which invites the world's top visionary minds to address business and resourcefulness in relation to their practices and on a global level.
The studio presented the 'vissershok container classroom', a completed prototype that transformed a 12 meter long recycled shipping container into an independent classroom. the project was initiated during woolworths’ annual design competition 'making the difference through design', where local high school pupils were asked to come up with creative solutions for a container classroom. sponsored by three south african companies - woolworths, safmarine and AfriSam the winning proposal by grade 10 student marshaan brink was then passed on to tsai to further develop and complete.
sheltering roof top
located in the picturesque durbanville wine valley of south africa, the facility has a capacity for 25 elementary students.
the rural school provides the children of local farm workers and nearby underprivileged communities a space for education and learning.
built with a limited budget and access to resources, the final structure consists of a sheltering top, outdoor play area, amphitheater, community space and garden.
the dramatic roof shields the recycled unit from direct sunlight, while the gap in-between acts as a heat buffer to reduce heat gain.
cross ventilation is achieved by a series of colorful windows on both sides of the structure. part of the winning entry that was maintained in the
final design is the integrated jungle gym for the younger kids of the school and a green wall in the form of a vertical vegetable garden that
shelters the play area from the prevailing south-east winds.
outdoor play area
mini amphitheater with stepped seating
the stepped seating extends the patio and offers an opportunity to create an outdoor area for the school children to relax,
socialize and eat their snacks. it also serve as an assembly area which is ideal for school plays and musical performances.
multi-functional area
the container is designed to be multi-functional to maximize all available resources.
in the morning the space is a classroom for the younger students and in the afternoon it becomes a library and resource center for the rest of the school.
layout of the school
a section of the school field adjacent to the structure is cleared and transformed into a vegetable garden.
in addition to being an educational experience, the space will allow the school to have fresh produce for their feeding program.
project info:
location: vissershok school, cape town, south africa
program: community project
client: safmarine shipping
type: commissioned project
area: 50sqm
status: prototype completed, ongoing
'providence row activity centre' by featherstone young in london, united kingdom
all images courtesy featherstone young
image © tim brotherton
london-based architecture studio featherstone young (sarah featherstone, jeremy young) has sent us
images of 'providence row activity centre', a multi-storey arts and office building for a homelessness charity
in east london, united kingdom. providing a range of structured and meaningful activities for the users,
the new facility features a ground floor bike workshop that focuses on developing useful skills
towards employment.
exterior view
image © tim brotherton
conceived as an extension of a pre-existing day care facility on an adjacent site, the project's main challenge
was to animate the under-used courtyard and improve connections and flow between the two buildings.
the landlocked plot allows for one active facade that maximizes on its permeability and visibility.
the most prominent feature of the elevation is a partially cantilevering level which extends out in shifting
angles towards the main day centre. accommodating a studio for visual and performing arts, the activities of
the space within is projected outwards to gain a transparent presence within the site. the angles of
the faceted windows orient the floor away from the street and towards the main centre, giving privacy for
users and valuable passive surveillance for staff members.
interior view of art studio
image © tim brotherton
opening up into the courtyard, a large set of doors provide access to the ground floor workshop.
the widely-hinging aperture provide natural light to enter the space as well as encourages activity to
spill over outdoors. in order to maintain maximum flexibility for a variety of functions and activities,
the floor plan is kept open with built in storage options. offices are accommodated on the upper level with
a zig-zagging terrace that follows the language of the facade. finished in bright perforated cladding panels
of green and yellow, the bold exterior is a commentary on the invisibility of homeless people.
office level looking out onto terrace
interior view of ground floor workshop
image © tim brotherton
storage
image © tim brotherton
roof light
image © tim brotherton
(left) funnel of roof light
(right) zig-zagging balcony line
images © tim brotherton
perforated cladding finish
image © tim brotherton
bike workshop
image © tim brotherton
night view
image © tim brotherton
project info:
client: providence row
gross internal floor area: 367 m2
structural engineer: conisbee
environmental consultant: FES (future energy surveys)
quantity surveyor: burke hunter adams
project manager: featherstone young
main contractor: john perkins projects
