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.
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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Photography: Kenta Hasegawa
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.
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