refurbishment of an existing brick masonry by japanese architects no.555

‘ASE’ by no.555, yokohama, japanimage © goichi tori-mura

built in a western-style house from around a century ago left over from foreign settlement, ‘ASE’ by japanese practice no.555 exemplifies the refurbishment of an existing brick masonry and wood structure that conserves its memory while being updated for contemporary use.containing three load bearing walls, the aged primary structure must be left intact. the rough wooden beams and joists are also untouched,with every surface painted with a white coat to protect the material and update it for the new owners, while still exhibiting the rich texturesand in turn maintaining a piece of its history. the existing construction was not waterproof, but the architects did not try to seal the structure,they instead made sure to route the water safely down to the ground without giving it a chance to seep through the small fractures that givethe architecture its character. providing only minimal structural work to support the building, along with inserted fixtures, the new home accomplishes a comfortable atmosphere and optimum performance at a minimum cost, where history can still be elicited from the walls.

entry and living areaimage © goichi tori-mura

sitting spaceimage © goichi tori-mura

dining, with new hardwood flooringimage © goichi tori-mura

new stairs connect to the loft spaceimage © goichi tori-mura