The site is located at the boundary between a commercial district and the adjacent residential area, and in accordance with the district plan aiming to create a vibrant urban environment, the first floor is designated for retail, while floors two through eight accommodate rental housing.
Instead of providing the mandated resident bicycle parking on the first floor, bicycles are stored within the earthen floor spaces in each unit, thereby eliminating the typically cluttered bicycle parking areas and maximizing the retail floor area on the ground level. By incorporating continuous openings that take advantage of the corner lot, the tenant spaces are designed to be open to the street, contributing to the vibrancy of the neighborhood.
The rental housing consists of two unit types: 1LDK units that can be converted into either studio (1R) or 2LDK layouts. Each dwelling features a balcony and a contiguous earthen floor space, encouraging residents to incorporate outdoor elements into their rental lifestyle with diverse uses. Furthermore, the balconies’ irregular forms and the presence of plants, bicycles, and other personal items placed by residents in the earthen floor spaces create a layered sense of life within the building, intentionally fostering a lively atmosphere visible from the exterior.
