T-Square Design Associates

京都市内に建つ、地下１階、地上５階建ての複合ビルである。まず、地下は能会館となっていて、そこには本格的な能の敷舞台(T)がある。ここでは、能の稽古を中心に、時々舞台も開かれる。１階には複数のお茶室(T)があり、そこでは日本庭園を楽しみながら、お茶を頂ける。2階は能楽師でもあるクライアントのご自宅(H)で、3階～5階まではファミリー層向けの賃貸住宅(A)といった構成である。各層ごとの違うニーズに答えるために、必要な壁の量や位置が異なり、構造的にも非常に複雑な構成となった。能楽会館として、お茶室として、自宅として、賃貸住宅として４つの顔を持つことになるこの建物のファサードはかなり悩んだが、最終的には街のシンボルとなるような特徴的なものとなったのではないだろうか。

構造：TAPS
写真：中村写真工房　中村大輔

Located in Kyoto City, this complex has one basement floor and five floors aboveground. This is Kyoto's first underground Noh theater with a full-scale Noh stage (T). This theater is mainly used for Noh practice, but also for other performances of various genres. On the first floor, there are two Japanese tea rooms (T), one large and one small, where you can enjoy a cup of Japanese tea and practice the manner while enjoying the tea garden. In addition to Noh and tea, this underground Noh stage and the tea rooms are used for a wide range of training in collaboration with various traditional cultural figures, making this a new base for promoting Kyoto's traditional culture both domestically and internationally. The second floor is the home of a client who is a Noh performer (H), and the third to fifth floors are apartment floors for families (A). The structure of this architecture is extremely complex due to its completely different spatial configurations on each floor. The façade of this building, which has four characters such as Noh theater, a teahouse, a home, and apartment, has eaves between each floor to emphasize the horizontal lines that are essential to traditional Japanese architecture. And each floor is covered with vertical aluminum louvers, creating a design that harmonizes with the streetscape of Kyoto while using Kyoto's traditional vocabulary. Furthermore, the southeast corner, which is the main approach to the building, is wrapped in milky white gradation glass, and the design incorporates the image of a Japanese lantern that serves as a guide for visitors. Ultimately, it has become a distinctive piece that will become a symbol of the city. In Zeami's Nohgaku book, he states, "When the performance moves from movement to stillness and back to movement, nothing should be done. If the interval between these movements is not made interesting, it cannot be called a master's performance," and explains the importance of intervals. In this building, the staircase wrapped in lantern like glass is the space of intervals. We hope that by going down the stairs, escaping from the city noise, which can be said as "movement," and descending into the space of "stillness," one will be able to enhance their spirituality and become ready for the Noh world.
- HATT -

Structure：TAPS
Photo：Nakamura Photo Studio (Daisuke Nakamura)