‘SHARE Yaraicho’ (which I will refer to as
‘Share’) is located within the narrow streets of Yaraicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Set
amongst third and fourth generation detached homes, the environment is
consistent with many affluent niche areas of Tokyo. These are characterised by
well-manicured and larger dwellings, nonetheless humble, homely and formally
idiosyncratic. Within this commonplace context the envelope dimensions are
respectful with its neighbors, however unique through its simple form and innovative
use of anomalous fabric. Share fuses sympathetic obtrusiveness with playful
ambiguity: It is simultaneously modest but conceptually bold.
After
following the GPS trajectory, one steps of the main road and wanders up a
slight hill. The form appears abruptly one lot in from the corner and set back
three metres from the curbside. Naturally, the visitors to the invited opening
congregate on the street to smile and point at the street façade. What stands
before us is a carefully choreographed rectangle volume of which is framed by
deep and perpendicular galvanized plates. The composition is asymmetrically
weighted by a window positioned in both the bottom left hand corner at street
level and another in the diagonally opposite top right hand corner. The majority
of the façade is a semi-transparent polymer membrane which subtly reveals the
human movement within. This use of an anomalous fabric is a common thread in
the studios work through projects such as the recent Maglia Jiyugaoka. The membrane is breached by two unzipped
triangular openings, one being the main entry at the right hand ground level
and the other being small and ambiguously perched above the ground level
window. These openings, given the nature of the material, furthermore reveal
the curiously complex interior and facilitate eye contact with the internal residents.
This could foster voyeuristic pedestrian/resident visual contact. The membrane
is detailed an industrial and somewhat temporary manner through the use of
large plastic zips, post-tensioned steel bracing, and a thick white rope that
stitches the fabric to the galvanized steel frame. This raw aesthetic is
carefully adopted throughout the interior.
Upon
stepping through the main opening, one enters a four story internal atrium that
is awash with light emitted through the semi-transparent membrane. Your eyes
are instinctively drawn up to the angled polycarbonate enclosure that sits
isolated by a 500mm gap above the first floor volumes. People on the second and
third levels poke their heads through the hinged openings to gawk down on those
who enter. Users can exit the volume onto the top of the ground floor dorm
volume overlooking the entrance space. At your feet, the continuation of the
concrete floor surface from outside suggests you have entered an exaggerated doma. Ahead is a glazed stairwell
running width-ways that reflects the both you and street activity through the
main opening behind you. The stairwell vaguely obstructs the view to the back
alleyway entrance gap and foregrounding sitting area platform. Furthermore, to
the immediate left a white and seemingly diagonally positioned volume
containing two resident dorms (A & B) that draws your eye to this back
entrance and small table. Behind the staircase to the right is another volume
encompassing the shower, toilet and washing utilities. Carrying on with the
industrial aesthetic, the utility volume is clad in 9mm ply (the visible
factory stamp states this) as are the side walls and ceiling of the full height
atrium. The glowing light, palpable textures, crisp volumes and atriums
generous size is indulgent and liberating– one has entered a cathedral for
hip-urban share house living.
The
interior is essentially made up of four inserted volumes leaving gap spaces of
defined and undefined use. The vertical gap spaces in-between the inserted
volumes echo the greater urban phenomena of gap spaces between buildings within
the Tokyo urban environment. In day to day suburban use, these spaces range
from side access routes, space for hanging clothes, storing bikes or merely a
passage for air and light to enter through a window. Other architects have
played with this phenomenon characterised by the lots boundless nature created
by these minimal gaps which are ambiguous in their use and ownership. Ryue Nishizawa
at Moriyama House for example, the floating volumes are bound by outdoor gaps
and rooftops that are collectively owned by the residents and are free to use
however they may please. At Share, these gap 500mm spaces above and below the
volumes have been re-appropriated into a vertical situation whereby the
residents have collective use of them. In this case storage of cumbersome and
large objects seems appropriate. This sectional void concept is further
represented by the atrium, entry doma,
and kitchen/living space which all have shared ownership. Overall, and in light
of the “share” title, the project embodies a three tiered spatial hierarchy of;
Private ownership, shared living and shared ambiguous gap space.
Via
the central staircase, of which provides the vertical circulation and glimpses
of visual communication with other floors, we arrive at the second floor or
third volume. The landing hallway is completely clad in marine ply and offers
entrance to rooms C, D, E and a shared toilet hidden in cupboard. Room C, orientated
east to west and facing the northern street front, is awash with filtered light:
firstly through the outer membrane followed by the full height and length
polycarbonate wall. The opposite street scape as rendered in a blurred bokeh
effect that does not compromise on privacy but offers a refreshing viewpoint
connected to the outside. This blurring of boundaries disguises the
comparatively small 10.84m2 footprint and more importantly provides the rooms
user with a sense of place. It is by far the most inspiring and livable room. Juxtaposed
with room C, room D and E are dim and uninspiring despite being marginally
larger (11.39m2).
The
third level encompasses the kitchen, living and dining space portraying the
scale of a generous single family home. This exposed single volume space opens
at both ends – the north face opens through polycarbonate shutters allowing the
glowing outer membrane to wash the dining space with light. The south end opens
out to a stairwell leading to the rooftop. The kitchen is comprised of a
floating square bench and suspended hanging cage for various utensils; again
continuing with the commercial detailing undertones. This generous space in
both height and floor area is functional and welcoming. Being the most
designated communal space, it holds the greatest responsibility of sustaining
harmonious shared living activity amongst its seven plus residents.
Floating
in a plywood volume 500mm above and adjacent to the kitchen and living space is
room G and F. This ambiguous gap underneath is first experienced as you ascend
the stairs to the kitchen. On this occasion a plush puppy toy was contently
resting. Room F is a charming polygon shaped funnel with the apex being the
full height window on the north façade. As it protrudes out over the atrium, an
opportunity is lost to puncture the room with an opening looking down onto the
atrium above. At the south west corner, Room G’s saving grace is that it has a
wardrobe and is close to the centre of attention being adjacent to the kitchen
and living. However a misgiving for both these rooms, and to a lesser extent to
the rest of the private rooms, the only shower and personal basin is located on
the first floor. Perhaps the kitchen sink will serve a few other purposes than
the probable stacking of dirty dishes.
Share,
as the title deliberately implies, is a house that at times challenges its
users in a practical sense in exchange for novel architectural conceptualisation.
The success of it being a rich social and shared living environment will
essentially come down to the attitude and personal relationships of its users.
From firsthand experience living in Tokyo in a small room with shared facilities,
the private room in this context bares greater responsibility than just a place
to sleep. It is your private domain in which you exist. It provides the
opportunity to dislocate and seclude yourself from the pressures of chaotic
public reality in order to reflect, relax and breathe. In addition to this, the
atrium concedes valuable floor area only to benefit the private room of C and
the kitchen/living/dining space. Thus a precarious balance exists between and
architectural agenda and the fundamental responsibilities of a home. The
equality of this balance depends on whether the users “share” their lives with
one another throughout the whole building or squirm and decompose in their
small and impractical chambers. Despite this, the project does set out to shelter
and not exist only for itself.
Overall,
the project embodies an existential shift away from the relentless
repressiveness of Tokyo built landscape and pulp housing market. It embodies a
microcosmic environment consisting of private domains, ‘public’ space and
ambiguous interstitial space derived from phenomena rooted in the Tokyo make-up.
This tri polar arrangement encourages and nurtures the occupant’s definition of
their own identity. This notion of individuality is still quite new within
Japanese culture as remaining silent and ignorant about what is obvious,
important, but however negative is a natural temperament. In light of this,
Share makes critical concessions of the typical western priorities of
practicality, comfort and function for the traditional threads of Japanese
creative endeavors; beauty, meaning and the relationships between structure,
user and landscape. More broadly, Share embodies the ‘sharing’ of lessons
learnt and lessons taught between Japanese notions of conceptualisation and
experimentation and Western democratic notions of identity.
This
is a beautiful, provocative and inspiring work.
I endeavor to return to Share and see Gap
spaces and Rooms are being utilised post occupancy.
Thanks to Bojan for a couple of photos posted here.
