A heritage house in Japan begins a new life as a ceramics showroom

In the Japanese tradition, this 86-year-old wood house in Hasami, Japan, was designed to adapt and evolve over time. Still, Tokyo-based architects DDAA approached it with a light hand when refashioning it into a two-storey office and showroom for pottery brand Maruhiro.

Hasami is a major porcelain centre in Japan and Marhiro is a major purveyor, reimagining simple pottery forms in a contemporary way. So DDAA’s refresh hit the right notes, putting a clean, polished finish on an already striking space with stripped wood floors and sunken workspaces.

To allow in natural light, the team replaced a sliding door with a giant circular mirror that rolls along the original track. They built up counters and alcoves for porcelain display and storage. New concrete additions correspond with the exposed stone foundations.

A tea room and conference area upstairs have the same wood floors and panelling. The company envisages the space as a cultural hub where shoppers can relax, speak with designers and engage with the ceramics. Over time it will acquire the patina of age and, perhaps, take on another life still.

[h/t Yatzer]

This hybrid cafe is an ever-changing exhibition in Japan’s Shizuoka