Doshisha growing taller and picking outfit

So it is hot, hot, HOT! in Japan on site.
Doshisha is growing growing GROWING! on site.

3 months went past in a blink, what has happened?
Foundation reinforced concrete poured, 8m+ tall columns craned in and fixed during last week...
March 2015 this is scheduled to be finished.... I think it will be!

One important thing happening at the moment parallel to the structure work, is the "picking outfit" for Doshisha - deciding facade colour.
During competition stage it was nominated a mixed shade of grey....but there are hundreds (if not thousands and millions) shades of grey...

So rather than adding colour pigments (of which we have seen the not-so-pretty prototypes) we decided to go with natural cobalt pigments.
By changing the percentage of cobalt content in the clay, different shades of grey and blue are achieved.
Because of the manual process, even within the same shade there are variations - and it adds to the sophistication of the facade colour.  I like.  I like very much.

The randomness of the facade - in module width, combination, and colour shade differences - have been calculated with lots and lots of mathematics.
I know it sounds crazy .... but there is logic in randomness, otherwise we can not instruct the tilers on site to make sure this effect can be achieved!
....Maybe that is why we started to get shades of grey in our hair too?

craning in...

scaffolding around the 8m+ tall columns to protect them during construction
They need to be in place now rather than later because there can be no joint within the length (weakness in structure) and the bottom of the columns need to be connected directly to the foundation

columns seem to continue across between the chapel building and the student lounge building, which is the foundation of our design concept - the two buildings are "as one"

standing in front of the student lounge building (chapel building to the left)
Part of the foundation is one person high

different combinations of shades in grey ... can you tell the difference between panels? ... I can...

"OK, so this one....and this one....."

"NOW........which one......?!"
(do you know the math behind this? hehehe)

........contemplating project team........

To find out more about Doshisha Chapel project click HERE
Doshisha Chapel project was won over 379 international entries in open design competition in 2012.

Dig In!!

Doshisha has started the overall site preparation and the big "dig".

site visit December 2013

April 2014

  

  

Doshisha SUBMISSION!!!

There is "submission', and there is "SUBMISSION!!!" ..

Here is one of the latter (scary) ones, it happened on February 21st for Doshisha's Council submission.  It is equivalent to Development Application and Construction Certificate combined here in Sydney, but even having 2 submissions combined here I do not recall seeing mountain-fuls of documentation....
and every page needed to be hand stamped.......

What is even more impressive is the processing time.
These documents once submitted, will be processed within 10 working days - comparing to the 40 working days given to local Councils here (by State Government) it is far more efficient, and in a way encourages development.

Herewith extract from Yoshi's email straight after submission:

We have lodged DA&CC today.
That was a big package….
<photo> is showing one set of Architecture, Service & Structure. We need to submit 4 sets here… (One for us)
Original
Copy (this goes to client in the end)
Fire station (This is interesting)
our set
We need to stamp our registration number and (印鑑) every single pages… I don't want to do this again….

This is one single copy

 At the Council counter

head spin...

serious stuff here....

speaks volumn

stamping (twice!) on every single page of every copy

Eki finalised

A few of the finalised photos of Eki.

  

 

 

Eki is the official distributor for high end hair products, mainly Shiseido Professional.
The limited space has to multi-task between showroom, office space, product dispatch centre - basically the "pretty side" and the "paddling side" of a business.

We have created a pure space for the products, which also multi-tasks; display shelves can be placed anywhere within the white cube with the system we custom designed for the project, 2 projection screens can be used for different purposes simultaneously or independently... and as everything can be tucked away, the space itself can be used to house functions such as product launch and award presentation.

The "pretty side" of business is what "sells"; but it does not exist independent of the "paddling side" which holds everything together.  In Eki the "paddling side" of business surrounds the "pretty side", holding it together literally.

... more photos to come ...

Photographing Takara

We photographed Takara at last.

The small Japanese Restaurant at Sydney's Chinatown is a project of experiments.  We tested new ways to consider structure, new materials, new spatial layering...

A lot of newness led to a space very much out of the ordinary.

Looking forward to the finished photos.

softly wrapped seating area

 

M House on I Like Architecture

M House is published on I Like Architecture!

Read the original article HERE
More about M House HERE
More photos on M House HERE
Other projects published by I Like Architecture HERE

I Like Architecture is the architecture blog that showcases unique contemporary designs, projects and concepts to those searching for architecture and design inspiration.

Teatime at Facet Studio - Shotani ショウタニ

Our Osaka office is suitably located close by a famous cake shop, Shotani. So yes, we did enjoy many quality, blog-worthy afternoon tea treats.

Shotani was established in 1995, currently has 7 shops, all in the Kansai region - the food region!

The founder Mr Shotani states:
"There are lives residing in the common dessert.
I may be a clumsy individual, but I am serious about bringing life to the desserts.
Then I want to continue on making desserts that bring smiles to people's faces"

A simple wish can be powerful... I am constantly inspired.

The desserts are delicately flavored and beautifully presented, with a sense of fusion between tradition and modern.

Facet Studio turned 5

In the middle of the Doshisha rush, I almost forgot about an important milestone..

Facet Studio has turned 5 years old in December 2013!

We celebrated in Osaka together with Doshisha wrap-up party, for a little お疲れ様！("well done it has been tough!") and a little 頑張りましょう！("let's power on!")
In our 6th year, we are onto something more wonderful, more powerful, and more touching.

Thank you all.

 

 

Photographing Eki

Today we photographed Eki.

It was completed just before I took off to Japan to join the team for Doshisha in November... Just made it in time.

It is a strange feeling to photograph a project, like making a mental note that the project is in fact, completed.

Looking forward to seeing the finished photos.

Higasa lamp on Designboom!

Our project Higasa lamp has been published on Designboom!

I have to make a special mention about the opening sentence:

The umbrella is a portable shelter

I like how it is straight to the point and pretty much summarises a large portion of the design intent.  Because it is a peculiar kind of thing to do, hanging umbrellas indoor where it does not rain.  But there are qualities of an umbrella - one made with Washi paper, and huge - which is beyond weather protection, which is what attracted and inspired us.  The sense of protection, light filtering quality of the material, delicacy of the structure, intimacy between individuals when sharing an umbrella... these are irrelevant of good or bad weather.

The umbrella strangely shares what "space-making" characteristic with the warmth of light; by combining the two, pockets of spaces are created instantly.  The combined coziness has a magical, calming effect on people.

Original article on Designboom HERE
Official page on Higasa lamp with more pictures HERE
Find out about behind the scene HERE
Other Facet Studio projects covered by Designboom HERE

founded in 1999, designboom is the world’s first and most popular digital architecture and design magazine.
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