From the Meji Period to today the genkan (a Japanese house-entry-cum-doormat) has evolved from a space of etiquette to a functionalistic space, and nowadays to a space of convenience. In the Meji Period a representative house had three entrances with a front genkan (表玄関), an inner genkan (内玄関), and a katteguchi (an outside connecting door) in the kitchen, reflecting the different social statuses of the master, family members, and servants. Etiquette required a long spatial sequence from the main entrance to the reception rooms, carefully designed and staging the best views to the garden. In post-war apartment houses the traditional design of the genkan was simplified to make it a compact space containing various functions such as storage, washing, receiving goods, or making phone calls. In essence it is designed as a public space inside an apartment. However, in contemporary high-rise residential buildings the boundary between the private interior and the public exterior has been overly stretched by the introduction of common entrance lobbies where guests can be welcomed on the ground floor. Moreover, a series of technical devices, such as cameras, sensors, automatic doors, elevators, and intercoms, have been introduced for security, accessibility, and comfort, again physically lengthening the distance to the private door to an even greater extent.
Upstream
The evolution of the different communis of an ecology typically starts with the available resources, the ʻRes communisʼ. In Inokashira Park, these resources can be considered as the basic foundations of the park. The trees and their shade, the water and its reflection, the birds and their singing – all make up this most primal layer of what can be considered the ʻInokashira Park ecologyʼ. The area of Inokashira Park was formerly restricted to be used solely by the Imperial family. This practice, or ʻPraxis communisʼ, was thus very limited and can even be considered to have been completely restrictive. Only until after the area had been donated to the people and was opened as a park in 1917 were the resources unlocked to the public. But, merely opening a park does not truly make it accessible to the public. Certain facilities, or ʻLex communisʼ, were constructed to allow for the visitors of the park to actually enjoy and experience the Res communis Inokashira Park had to offer. These newly built paths, benched, fences and more, had changed the Praxis communis of the landscape into something that could be practiced by all people visiting. Over time, however, more and more Lex communis was added to the park. Bridges, a variety of benches, many toilets, different paths, restaurants and even a paid zoo and swan-shaped pedalos became a part of the Inokashira Park ecology. Most of these additions did not deal with presenting the resources of the park to its users, however – they simply allowed for the accommodation of many more visitors. Those that did, however, required a fee to access these resources. This is how we encountered Inokashira Park – a theme park for the masses. Having observed the different layers of the three communis of Inokashira Park, simultaneously, we got to understand the way these communis interacted and how much they were dependent on each other. We learned how the practiced Praxis communis was lacking order because of the built Lex communis and, in turn, how the built Lex communis interfered with making the available Res communis accessible to the people. This meant that the Lex communis could be considered the crux within Inokashira Park. Their placements, practicalities and appearances lack consideration regarding its surroundings and usage. By understanding the issues at hand and by analysing its causes, we were able to pinpoint which interventions would have to be made to improve the functionality of the multi-layered ecology of Inokashira Park. Firstly, the built structure of the park is to be clarified and simplified by means of subtraction and adjustment. Certain paths will be removed or redirected; its surface materials changed and their facilities adjusted, so that a smoother flow of the different Praxis communis that are practiced within the park can be realised. As such, these different Praxis communis will be less likely to interfere with each other, without limiting their potential expressions. Secondly, by subtracting certain parts of the park structure, opportunities open up for the placements of new kind of Lex communis. These ʻpocketsʼ will be realised to provide for a better way of experiencing the resources of the park, so that the Praxis communis can truly grasp the Res communis of Inokashira Park.
Through Palazzo
The Ebisu site has interesting points to concern in order to design a good Palazzo in this area. The road in front of the Ebisu site connects Shibuya; the most crowded and fashionable area in Tokyo, and Ebisu; calm and luxurious area, together. Moreover, the characteristics of the site are unique. It is long and narrow. It is also located along the Shibuya river.; the old river that has long history behind it.
With these interesting site conditions we discovered, our design approaches for the Palazzo in Ebisu are; to create relationship between users and pedestrians, and architecture together, and to create good environments for urban contexts (likes, public open spaces, gardens, etc. )
SHRinne Hotel
SHRINNE HOTEL
In Japan, there is a religious space as an open space that is closely related to the lives of ur- ban citizens. Not only during the festival, but it is also a space like a public square where nearby people gather in daily life.
The annual festival is the most important ritual held annually at shrines. The annual festival is held once a year, often on a day that people can gather this public space.
at th same time, A mikoshi is a sacred reli- gious palanquin (also translated as a portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between the main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine. Often, the mikoshi resembles a miniature building, with pillars, walls, a roof, a veranda, and a railing.
During a matsuri (Japanese festival) involving a mikoshi, people bear the mikoshi on their shoulders by means of two, four (or some- times, rarely, six) poles. They bring the mikoshi from the shrine, carry it around the neighbor- hoods that worship at the shrine, and in many cases leave it in a designate.
West Side Highway
It is characteristic circulation in Tokyo that the stress between a highway, which is a huge infrastructure appeared from the present age, and the residential area of the small or middle scale around it. Then this project was considered about the way of the huge building which is adapted to a various demands, including housing, of the city.
We divided the building into three zone: high rise medium rise-low rise. Therefore, we make three level for the building, as it will be seen from the back side and the local street side. These height differences shows communication between the maximum height of the palazzo with the neighborhood site.
Thus we make two contrast facade; back side with the heights difference and vast square for the front facade seen from the highway and main street. In facade, we emphasize the back facade by using terrace and made it randomly configurated. For the front side, vast surface of square with regular small windows. Knowing that the palazzo location is near the highway which mostly blocked, we also put special box as a hollow to catch the attention from the passerby.
We decided 3 layers by composition of existing palazzo and relationship to facing highway. Lower part is for pedestrian, middle part is facing to highway, and above is higher part. This building get the facade that reflect context by articulation of volume and opening. We make a connection with shop in lower part and common space in middle by continuous step and terrace from sectional zoning of program. In upper part, change shape of plan conforming with terrace or articulation of elevation.