This 10-story office building, located on a narrow 5.2m x 14.5m lot near Tokyo's Kanda Myojin Shrine, redefines urban integration. Facing the historic Nakasendo route and offering direct views of the iconic Yushima Seido, the design prioritizes a gentle blend into the dense cityscape rather than asserting dominance.
Architects : Tenhachi Architect & Interior Design
Area : 60㎡
Year : 2024
FROM : https://www.ten-hachi.com/
設計 | .8 Architect&Interior design | 日本
.8 Architect&Interior designは、佐々木倫子と佐藤圭による神奈川県川崎市で建築・インテリアの設計・デザインを行っている設計事務所です。国内外を問わず、住宅設計、店舗設計、オフィス設計
www.ten-hachi.com
Natural Materials & Timeless Aesthetics
The building's harmonious integration is achieved through the deliberate use of natural materials, particularly wood. The facade and entrance feature "Franwood," a durable, domestically sourced timber from forest thinning. This 100% plant-based material requires no paint or maintenance and boasts over 50 years of outdoor durability. As it weathers, it subtly blends into the city, creating a quiet dialogue with its surroundings.
Beyond wood, hot-dip galvanized steel panels are incorporated, chosen for their ability to visibly retain the passage of time. The design embraces the beauty of aging and seasonal shifts, aiming for architecture that matures gracefully. The use of wood goes beyond sustainability, contributing to carbon fixation, enhancing urban thermal comfort, promoting forest resource recirculation, and fostering a more natural, human-scaled cityscape. It also supports regional economies through domestic production. This building quietly embodies these values, rooting itself in the city's everyday life.
Flexible Interiors & Urban Vistas
Structurally, the building utilizes a rigid frame (rahmen) system of columns and beams, intentionally avoiding bracing or shear walls to create open, flexible interior spaces. The ground floor hosts a shop open to the street, while the upper floors (2–10) are dedicated to set-up offices. Every interior detail is meticulously designed to inspire and support its occupants.
From the rooftop terrace, panoramic views of Yushima Seido and the Ochanomizu skyline, including the Nikolai-do Orthodox Cathedral and Hijiribashi Bridge, unfold. This elevated space offers an open sky and a slower rhythm of time, even in the bustling heart of Tokyo. The architecture doesn't resist the city's noise; instead, it quietly breathes with it. Through its materials and its relationship with time, it draws a soft yet lasting outline, showcasing how architecture, when living and breathing with wood, can firmly and gently take root in the urban fabric.
