Kuma&Elsa's innovative renovation of a Japanese apartment block in Nakano City offers a unique take on traditional Japanese living. The studio's design centers around the concept of an engawa, a traditional veranda space, by inserting translucent 'huts' into the top two floors of the building. This approach creates a captivating spatial experience, blending the modern with the traditional.
The project, named Nakano House, was commissioned by a client seeking to recreate the ambiance of her childhood home, perched 15 meters above ground. Kuma&Elsa's solution was to introduce a central hut on each floor, surrounded by an open perimeter that extends onto balconies. This design mimics the engawa, a traditional Japanese veranda, providing a sense of seclusion and connection with nature.
The huts are constructed with a simple steel frame, anchored to the concrete floor plates and braced with steel cables. Translucent, sliding screens of plastic framed in timber allow for flexibility in usage, enabling bedrooms and living spaces to be opened up to the surrounding areas. The bathrooms, kitchen, and dining spaces are strategically located in these open areas, fostering a sense of integration with the outdoors.
The wooden flooring of the hut interiors extends to form a perimeter, reminiscent of a traditional timber engawa, with a distinctive zigzag edge where it meets the concrete floor. Timber shutters and curtains further enhance the privacy and ambiance, with sliding glass doors providing access to the balconies on the building's southern side.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the design is the deliberate use of unfinished elements. The fire-resistant plasterboard roofs atop the huts and the rough plastered walls of the bathrooms are left intentionally unfinished, allowing for a sense of evolution over time. This approach, according to the architects, emerged through dialogue with the client and her family, emphasizing the site's recent construction and the absence of aged surfaces.
Kuma&Elsa's Nakano House project not only pays homage to traditional Japanese architecture but also introduces a modern twist, creating a unique living experience. The use of translucent huts and the interplay of traditional and contemporary elements make this renovation a standout example of innovative architecture in Japan.
