DETAIL-ORIENTED DESIGN: Old meets new in Tokyo

Kooo Architects’ recent apartment renovation in Meguro, Tokyo incorporates soft, warm wood tones and elements of a traditional Japanese lifestyle. Undertaken by the firm’s founders, Ichijo-Toma focuses not only on the bigger picture, but also on the details.

Japanese lifestyle

The founders of Kooo Architects decided to draw on the wisdom of the generations that came before and the materials that have been respected in the culture to create something that now is rather out of the ordinary. Rather than using convenient techniques and materials as has now become the norm, many handcrafted elements were introduced to once again go back to the basics and create a home that felt both warm and creative.

Both light and texture were used to create an atmosphere that would convey a soft atmosphere and last through the ages. Rather than being purely a structure, the home would become part of the family, a value more closely connected to Japan than many Western cultures.

Space for all

Just as in traditional Japanese homes, the rooms are divided by sliding doors, creating homes which promote closeness and consideration between family members while allowing for a versatile, flexible space. Kooo Architects themselves promote the return to a simpler lifestyle, creating homes with fewer rooms, but with thought-through layouts that allow for individual space for each resident as well as a communal feel.

Picking up on small, human-scale details allows for the home to feel unique to those who live within it, and the focus on warm wood throughout the residence makes it feel cosy and comfortable, a space to respect that will also wear beautifully the more it’s lived in. Simple concrete beams and plastered, curved walls alongside the wood act to integrate untreated, organic and natural materials in harmony.