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Architects: Jun’ichi Ito Architect & Associates
- Area: 1805 m²
- Year: 2008
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Photographs:Naoomi Kurozumi
Text description provided by the architects. The clients are a family (a father and a son) who are psychiatrists and have been running a mental health clinic in Minato ward in central Tokyo for fifty years. Although the clinic has a long history housed in its current old wooden building, it became necessary for it to relocate due to a road schedule based on an urban plan formulated immediately after the Japanese defeat in World War II. In accordance with the relocation, the family decided to purchase an old building a five-minute walk from the clinic and build a new building on the site in order to reopen the clinic there. The beginning of this project was to the dismantling of the old building.
The TSR building is a sustainable building and is good for the environment. There are several basic concepts incorporated in this regard. Reuse: We reduced the CO2 emissions the dismantling by using the underground frames of the old buildings. Drawing of old pillars and dismantling of underground frames reduce the emissions significantly.
Control of heat environment: We included argon gas internally by using low-emissivity or “Low-e” glass. Furthermore, ceramic printing was performed on the glass. The ceramic print reduced the solar heat load indoors and enhanced energy conservation.
Under floor air-conditioning system: We adopted an air conditioning system for residential areas so that it could be regulated from each fan outlet. The air conditioning is minimized by the energy-conservation effect and low running cost.
Free air-conditioning arrangement: The under-floor air-conditioning system works with a floor-fan unit. The layout of the unit is easily changed because it is movable. Further, the space under the floor can be used for PC trace owing to the free access of ductless and requires no finishing work. Therefore, we were able to reduce the expense of construction.
Adoption of PCaPC structure: PCaPC structure is a construction method for assembling materials at the site that were previously produced in factories. The method minimizes the clearance needed between adjacent buildings and utilizes the site to best advantage. Further, it method enhances structural strength and reduces environmental impact due to the shorter construction period it enables.
Long life: A PCaPC structure has a strong building frame; regular replacement and maintenance can prolong the strength of the frame almost permanently. Therefore, this type of construction is sustainable for prolonging the lives of buildings.
