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Architects: GENETO
- Area: 685 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Yasutake Kondo
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Lead Architect: Koji Yamanaka
Text description provided by the architects. Located in Nishijin, Kyoto, JURAKU RO is a mixed-use project that includes both residential apartment and a hotel. As the name indicates, this building is located in the site of Old Castle ‘JURAKU DAI’. Street in this area used to be lined with Machiya (Kyoto’s Old townhouse) where traditional waving industry flourished. There are only a few old townhouses remain, and most of the recent apartment building in this area doesn’t seem to contribute to surrounding scenery while their façade is the only element to follow the landscape regulation. In this project, we considered how JURAKU RO could be part of surrounding neighbors, as well as contributing creating Kyoto’s landscape in the present day.
Open Space in the Town
Besides its major function as a rental apartment, JURAKU RO also includes facilities for short-stay guestroom and café space on the ground floor where many and unspecified persons can be accommodated. Semi-outdoor space (Piloti) and the grass parking lots provide multi-functional open space for residents, locals, and hotel guest to organize local events.
DOMA; a place interconnect indoor and outdoor, public and private
After passing through Noren (fabric wall hanging) at the entrance, you may see the ‘DOMA’ that spread itself up to the back of the building and each flat is connecting to this corridor. DOMA, a place intermediate between outdoor and indoor, is one of important elements in Kyoto’s traditional house. It provides access to light and wind in an elongated closed space and also allows to walk through inside of a house with one’s shoes on and connects to the outdoor space. DOMA would provide a variety of functions and purposes to JURAKURO, from local events to casual community gathering. Each flat also enjoys Doma space attached to the inner garden where residents can experience this unique space while in the room.
Customized Rental Apartment
Each flat is composed of three rooms -Doma, Main room, and a bathroom. The ductworks are exposed and the partition between the main room and the bathroom made with concrete block. You may find no storage or drawer, but just one big space. Usually, the rental apartment is furnished as if their lifestyle is expected to be similar to others. In fact, no residents are the same when it comes to a preferred style or design which result in a billion different outcomes and possibilities for custom furniture. Each resident customizes their own furniture depending on their lifestyle and needs, with a consistent support from professional designer and constructors. By offering this service will enable for residents to discover and be attached to their unique lifestyle more, this, as a result, encourage to connect to the locals.
The city’s landscape
The finish of exterior wall of JURAKU RO is a black. You may find it unusual to see the black building standing in the small town, however, this color is originated from the old castle ‘JURAKU DAI’. As a memory of this site, we built a modern black architecture where JURAKU DAI is once a symbol of prosperity.
