Motoyasu Muramatsu Architects

The site faces the embankment where the road extending southeast from Wakayama City Station meets the Ichibori River. The river makes a right-angle bend from south to west in front of the site, flowing towards Wakayama Port. The four-storey building, sandwiched between the road and the river, features nearly identical floor plans on each level, extending from the front road towards the river. Yet, each level possesses distinct ceiling heights and varied openings, designed to offer diverse spatial experiences as one moves through the storeys.
On the river side, each floor incorporates the largest possible openings to maximise the internal view of the river scenery. The road side features varied openings corresponding to the internal spaces: a weather-resistant high-tensile steel entrance, operable glass screens, timber sash windows, vertical and horizontal slits, and triangular glass prisms penetrating the walls.
Diverse light and scenery are drawn into the interior, infusing the spaces with vibrant vitality. This fosters rich, extraordinary experiences within everyday life. Simultaneously, the building is expected to display varied expressions in response to seasonal shifts and the sun's movement, thereby energising the streetscape.

Location: Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
Primary Use: Café, Showroom, Office, Residence
Scale: 4 storeys above ground
Structure: Reinforced concrete construction
Site Area: 117.92 m²
Building Footprint: 90.87 m²