The 55-year-old apartment is situated in Hayama, a beach town southeast of the popular tourist destination Kamakura on the Miura Peninsula.
Project Name: Hayama Apartment
Studio Name: Roovice
Lead Architect: Koichi Takahashi
Site Manager: Koichi Takahashi
Photography: Akira Nakamura
Text: Giulia Taverna
The owners approached us to revamp the space into a bright, low-maintenance home.
The apartment, featuring expansive windows overlooking a spacious garden, held great potential to meet their needs. We chose to harmonize the interior with light colors, accentuating with lauan.
At the clients’ request, durable off-white PVC sheets were used for flooring throughout most areas, except the bedroom and entrance, for easier maintenance.
Concerned about the impact of Hayama’s humid climate we have seen on the old wallpaper, we applied diatomaceous earth to control humidity on all walls.
We redesigned the kitchen, integrating it with the living room to create an open, light-filled space that visually connects to the garden through the large windows.
The new kitchen features a stainless countertop paired with custom-made lauan plywood storage units. A white tile counter, matching the owners’ stainless high chairs, offers versatility for standing or sitting. Lauan storage cabinets were added to the dining area.
To facilitate family activities, we designed a custom-made desk spanning over 5 meters in the living room, envisioning it as a central gathering spot for work and study, capturing the relaxed atmosphere of Hayama where time moves leisurely.
