612 Kamiaharamachi Renovation

Jan 6

Written By Omar Dahabra

Location: Kofu, Japan
Year: 2024
Architects: BAELEE Associate
Photography by: Standing Point

612 Kamiaharamachi renovation transforms a private residence into a public space, serving as a café and exhibition venue for the community. The house, once the home of the client’s wife’s father, is now becoming a coffee roastery for her husband. This connection—passing from one father’s house to another—prompted us to ask, What should a father’s house be.

We aimed to create a "bright room" that captures subtlety, nuance, and ambiguity. The layered spaces formed by traditional Japanese tatami mats were removed, creating the brightest room. Adjacent to it, the "deep room" retains a sense of intimacy, while the entrance room remains an ambiguous space, bridging the two.

To articulate the bright room, we used Korean hanji paper for walls and ceilings, creating surfaces that blur boundaries between wall, window, and frame. Mirrors were incorporated to reflect soft light, and contrasting floor textures defined spatial boundaries. This design reflects a balance between what is fixed and what is transformable, embracing the ambiguity in between. Text description by the architects.

Source: www.baelee.site

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