Nippon Shinyaku Koku Lo Spazio Ufficio

Press Kit

Unique Properties

We designed the free address space inside the headquarters of Nippon Shinyaku, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Kyoto Prefecture.

It was planned for a corner of a vast site near Nishioji station, where several office buildings stand side by side.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company’s founding, the project began in late 2019. However, it had to be stopped temporarily due to the unprecedented spread of the novel coronavirus. It was finally completed in the summer of 2021.

Dimensions & Packaging

Area：369.8 square meters

Tags

office, interior, japan, kyoto

Production Technology

Main finishing material
Floor: mortar base with magnetic tiles, mortar metal trowel holder
Walls: PB groundwork AEP, round pillars/mortar metal trowel holder, wall frame/ST assembly baking paint, curtain/lace fabric crease processing
Ceiling: Existing slab base AEP
Fixtures: Big table/legs/magashiro wood dyed finish, top plate/melamine veneer pasted (K-6305/Aica Kogyo), counter/exposed concrete finish
Lighting equipment: Brass custom-made pendant lighting (vao place)

Design Challenge

While capturing the background of Kyoto, we aimed to create a place that is conscious of connecting the left behind interior to the outside, from the environmental conditions that the building does not face the public road as in the past.

Research

1.By inserting the same tiles as the outdoor tiles into the interior, the boundary points between the inside and outside are controlled by the design.
2. Based on the traditional Japanese concept of "continued room", we scattered frames that traced the outline of the fusuma.
3. Since all the buildings on the premises are reddish brown, the interior is also affected and the process of dyeing everywhere is expressed.

Inspiration

Incorporating the idea of ​​​​“tuzukima” in Japanese architecture, the steel frames that trace the outline of the fusuma are scattered along the span of the frame beam. It is not just a wall that seeks a function, but an open space that controls consciousness and aims to be "something that gently forms individual areas". I want you to spend your time in a place that fits you.

Project Duration

Construction began in Kyoto on April 13, 2021 and was completed on July 27, 2021.

Operation Flow

First, we increased the boundary between the inside and outside by incorporating diagonal lines ub the form of a V-shape for the glass walls, which previously ran parallel. Then, we made the boundary area between the inside and outside ambiguous by taking the floor tiles, which had originally been designed for an outside environment, and allowing them to overflow into the inside space, even biting into the V-shaped glass walls.

What’s more, the process of repeated expansion throughout the company’s long history turned the exterior of the building a reddish-brown. This view of the site and its colors express the ongoing process in this change in color, as though it is changing the building’s interior as well.

In order to categorize the scene, we incorporated the idea of the “tsuzukiai” present in the sukiya style of building. Thus, steel frames that trace the outlines of the fusuma (Japanese paper sliding doors) are scattered along the span of the skeleton beams. As such, these walls are not just function, like ensuring privacy or sound insulation. Rather, they aim to create an open space while controlling the consciousness of lookers on to emphasize the gentle form of the individual areas.

It is perfect for spending your time as you see fit.

Image Credits

Photographer：Yoshiro Masuda