On the Corner / EASTERN Design Office

Anton Giuroiu
by Anton Giuroiu
| Published on:

Architects: EASTERN Design Office
Area: 261 m²
Year: 2011
Photography: Koichi Torimura
Structural Engineering: Hojo Structure Research Institute
Contractor: Okudakomuten Co., Ltd.
Client: TOYO-KAIHATSU Co., Ltd.
City: Youkaichi
Country: Japan

On the Corner residential complex designed by EASTERN Design Office in Youkaichi City, Japan, completed in 2011, utilizes a sharp triangular lot to create a unique apartment building that integrates into the local industrial and residential landscape.

The site, located in Youkaichi City, is in a manufacturing area with many large factories. This residential and industrial zone houses many South American immigrants among the local population. The area is known for its bars and restaurants and is near a highway interchange. The lot is a sharp triangle, an unusual shape for a residential building.

On the corner / eastern design office

The wedge-shaped flatiron lot, situated at a corner where two streets merge at an acute angle, was left undeveloped due to its challenging shape. Neither residential nor industrial developers showed interest, and the public sector did not invest in converting it into a park.

On the corner / eastern design office

The building’s elevation follows the triangular plot. The structure is a 13-meter-high residential complex with a base measuring 23 meters, a height of 12 meters, and an oblique side of 26 meters. It is a typical tenanted apartment house with seven units: two units per floor on the first through third floors and one unit on the fourth floor. Each unit includes a 13 m² living room, two bedrooms (13 m² and 9 m²), a prefabricated bathroom, a kitchen, and a toilet. The layout is designed for easy rental by town residents.

On the corner / eastern design office

The concrete structure is carefully designed. The exterior walls are composed of square-cut stone, concrete, and glass, arranged like scattered cards and bound by a “cross” to prevent disjunction. The building resembles a gift, a toy box, or a castle from Michael Ende’s stories. The triangular shape is configured by square elements, with the cross unifying the mixed materials.

On the corner / eastern design office
Project Gallery
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
© Koichi Torimura
On the corner / eastern design office
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Project Location

Address: Youkaichi, Higashiomi, Shiga Prefekture 527-0029, Japan

Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.

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