This project was a consultation for an interior renovation of an apartment located on the 30th floor of the Hinokichō The Tower in Akasaka, a central area of Tokyo.
All the 322 units and the communal spaces of the tower were completed by Kengo Kuma office in 2018, leaving the apartments to be personalised by the owner with outsourcing architects.
Project Name: Akasaka High-rise Condominium
Studio Name: Roovice
Overall the only necessary modifications of the unit regarded the layout disposition and the aesthetic of the materials used.
The project started from the client’s request to add a projector space in the living room, while bringing more natural light in the dark corridor.
To brighten the area as much as possible, we removed the kitchen furniture wall and the door next to it. Originally, those elements separated the living and kitchen space from the night areas, but at the same time they caused a dark circulation inside.
The two bedrooms placed on the opposite ends of the flat were not modified in their size. A new wardrobe was implemented right behind the entrance storage, since the existing in-wall closet wasn’t offering enough space in the smaller room. For the master bedroom instead, the instalment of a wide sliding panel and an in-wall closet permitted a more efficient use of the space.
For the corridor, each door has been changed from the dark glossy melamine veneer in favour of a white matt tone. Meanwhile, the entrance closet replaced its original parts for the same cherry wood texture used also for the master bedroom’s new wide sliding door. This pattern is extended in minor details around the apartment: the toilet closets, the cupboard kitchen countertop and the living room furniture now share the same materials. Together they create harmony throughout every area, reflecting the carefully made material choice.
One of the requests of the owner was to dedicate a space for a projector in the living room. Therefore, a custom-made TV board was designed and placed in front of the wall. This piece of furniture was built accurately and exclusively for super single focus projectors, using the large white wall behind as a screen. As mentioned above, this piece is made with the same cherry timber as the other details in the house, contributing to create a homogeneous atmosphere.
The rather small scale of intervention helped to keep the costs of the project low, despite the use of expensive elements with a declared research of a luxury image. At the same time, the balanced minor changes satisfied all the requests made by the client, improving the overall quality of the space as well.
Just like in previous renovations made by ROOVICE, we confirmed again that even a small change can have a huge impact on a project.
