Living habits rule over the living space, as the oriental aesthetic requires. Adopting this approach, even when the space is limited, the interior design allows every inhabitant to have his own privacy. That’s the same effect reached by OZU in his film: a fixed framing, events are narrated by the characters’ movement.

Kazuyo Sejima finds the perfect solution thanks to a linear project: trapezoidal plan, three luminous floors connected by a (almost) central stair.

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 Street views by ©arcspace.com

The structure also helps the space-saving. The perimetral structure is realized with subtle steel panels (only 10cm thick) finished with anti-glare paint and containing a 3cm thick insulation layer. The internal partitions, realized with the same system, are welded to the perimeter. Everything is white.

The same approach is used in the School of Management and Design (SANAA). This project is part of the renovation plan for Zollverein, an ex coal mine in Essen (read more about the Zollverein project in: PRE-EXISTING | Building within history).