Motoyasu Muramatsu Architects

This building is a pachinko parlor situated on a T-junction corner facing the old Kawagoe Highway. The surrounding streetscape no longer features the rows of houses reminiscent of days gone by; instead, it consists of a chaotic jumble of indistinct, small-scale shops. In designing this building, the aim was to manifest the inherent energy latent within this site, nestled within such a landscape, and to create a structure that would serve as the starting point for restoring vitality and order to the streetscape.

The exterior was designed to reveal constantly shifting appearances in response to changing light. Materials like glass, black rust-colored panels, natural stone, and aluminum create a calm, transparent expression facing the street during the day. At night, the materiality disappears entirely, and the entire street-facing facade glows, enveloping the corner in a gentle light.
Furthermore, the north side facing the old Kawagoe Highway features a vertical glass screen to provide scale to the finely divided streetscape. The upper portion is frosted to diffuse the stable northern light into the interior spaces. The west side employs deep canopy-like sashes to reflect and diffuse the deeply penetrating western sunlight, creating a gentle, bright space for the stair area while providing a sense of horizontal expansion.

This project advanced with the goal of creating rich spaces, believing that space itself emerges from the layered experiences of an individual, triggered by various encounters while navigating cities, streets, and architecture.
It explored the form of a pachinko parlor rooted in the community, where, amidst the changing seasons and shifting light, walking around the building allows the refreshing interior space and the external landscape to meet through the glass screens, fostering rich experiences.　
Use: Pachinko Parlor
Site Area: 358 m²
Total Floor Area: 996 m²