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Architects: APOLLO Architects & Associates
- Area: 92 m²
- Year: 2013
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Photographs: Masao Nishikawa
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Structure Engineers: , Masaki Structure, Kenta Masaki
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Facility Engineers: Shimada Architects, Zenei Shimada
Text description provided by the architects. The client, who is a hair stylist/a salon owner, requested us to design a house with a hair salon. It is an exclusive and luxurious hair salon where the salon owner himself provides all services, and the number of clients is limited to only two at the same time.
Our design strategy is to minimize the size of the salon, to create a compact and intimate space where the hair stylist gives utmost attention and professional service to the customer. On the contrary, we provide the maximum floor area of the house. The glass-clad salon has a stylish and sharp atmosphere, but the sharpness is softened by greenery in the front yard and low and deep eaves above it.
Lounge for resting is provided as a buffer zone between the hair salon and the house. And entrance court with a family symbol tree is specially designed as a transitional zone where the client is able to switch his mood from business to private.
The client's wife practices tea ceremony, so we design a Japanese room to welcome tea guests, with a compact courtyard (called "Tsubo-niwa" in Japanese) attached. Our intention is to fill the space with an atmosphere of warm welcome from the hair salon to the tearoom, and in and out of the house.
On the second floor, family room and child's room are divided by the stairs in between. Study room in the middle acts as an intermediate space in between. Roof of the hair salon becomes a wide roof balcony adjacent to the family room. It can be used as an extended family room on occasions such as big parties with many guests.
From the windows, one can enjoy the view of the family symbol tree, along with the beautiful background of the adjacent park and trees along the street.
