Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, ConcreteRyogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, GlassRyogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, HandrailRyogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Exterior Photography, FacadeRyogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - More Images+ 23

Sumida City, Japan
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Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, Concrete
© Nacasa & Partners

Spaces that can be Enjoyed by Wandering -  Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu is a spa facility facing Hokusai Street, located in between the Edo-Tokyo Museum and the Sumida Hokusai Museum. We designed an annex to the existing public bathhouse. Our addition increased the total floor space of the facility twofold. We furthermore completely renovated the facility while keeping a certain portion of the existing interior intact. While staying true to Hokusai's world, in our design, we also tried to emphasize the concept of the word “yu” in Edo-yu, which means “freely wandering and enjoying.” Our design thus allows the facility's visitors to enjoy the experience of wandering through various "nooks of comfort" created throughout the bathhouse.

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Exterior Photography
© Nacasa & Partners
Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Image 24 of 28
Axonometric
Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Living Room
© Nacasa & Partners

Facade reminiscent of noren (bathhouse curtains) wavering in the wind - Our facade design seeks to recall the image of fresh, whitish gray bathhouse noren (split curtains hung outside the bathhouse entrance) wavering refreshingly in the wind. Aluminum panels punctured with an Edo komon pattern (Hokusai loved komon patterns, which are intricate dye patterns that were popular during the Edo period) contain vertical slits that blur the joint between the new annex and the existing building, making the two buildings appear as a unified whole.

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Bedroom, Wood
© Nacasa & Partners

The seigaiha pattern (depicting waves in the blue ocean) pierced in the facade gradually disappears as it nears the upper floors of the building, representing the refined tastes of the people of the Edo period, for whom the intricateness of these patterns was a source of competition (for the more intricate the pattern, the more skilled the artisans that lords had).

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Bathroom
© Nacasa & Partners

 Column-less Space Realized through an RC Thick Wall and Floor Structure -  The annex is designed with no columns or beams, through the use of an RC thick wall and floor structure. We designed small spaces through the use of bathtubs, furniture, finishing materials, ceilings and differences in lighting environments - all so that they would form a continuous sequence. This allowed us to create a layered landscape upon which a maximum of 400 visitors can all enjoy and find their very own nooks of comfort.

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography
© Nacasa & Partners

Baths Floating in the Clouds -  For the women's bath, we wanted to create a space of baths floating in the clouds. Starting with the kakeyu (water poured on oneself before entering the bath) to the high concentration carbonated bath to the jet bath to the water bath, we designed the bathtubs in unique cloud shapes at different heights so that visitors can wander and enjoy the various styles of the baths. The cloud-like ceiling contains lighting and exhaust vents.

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Chair
© Nacasa & Partners
Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Image 23 of 28
Elevation
Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Image 11 of 28
© Nacasa & Partners

Spaces with varying functions, such as a rest area composed of four different sections, hot stone spa & salon treatment area, and a co-working space called "yu work" ("yu" means bath) in the old building that keeps the image of the former spa intact, were all designed around a central luminous ceiling and connected through a staggered passageway. While our inspiration derives from Hokusai's world, our goal was to construct the Edo world from a modern, or perhaps even near future, perspective. 

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Nacasa & Partners

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Project location

Address:1-chōme-5-8 Kamezawa, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0014, Japan

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu Spa / Kubo Tsushima Architects" 22 Jun 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/941830/ryogoku-yuya-edoyu-kubo-tsushima-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

© Nacasa & Partners

两国江户游浴场,‘游回’江户时代 / Kubo Tsushima Architects

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