‘church in matsumoto’ by katsunobu tasho architecture+unvoice in nagano prefecture, japan all image courtesy katsunobu tasho architecture+unvoice image © takashi suzuki

kyoto-based practice katsunobu tasho architecture+unvoice has sent us images of ‘church in matsumoto’, a single-storey building designed in collaboration with atsushi ueda and shinichi kawakatsu in nagano prefecture, japan. featuring elevated windows and a dramatically pitched roof form, the project makes clever use of natural light to instill an appropriate atmosphere for its principal program.

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto view of site from above image © takashi suzuki

situated in a newly developed residential area of the city, the architects aimed to integrate the new church seamlessly into the urban fabric of the neighbourhood. the scale of the structure references the surrounding dwellings and features an unassuming facade that could easily be read as another dwelling on the street. singularly finished in white, the entrance is geometrically cut from the surface of the front elevation, resulting in a right-angle dent in the layout.

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto street elevation image © takashi suzuki

pivoting around the central chapel, the interior programs are arranged to circumscribe the footprint of the building. small and simple, these secondary rooms – which include an office, kitchen, prayer’s room, and a shower room –  serve as a buffering system, assisting in heat and sound insulation of the chapel. they also provide a modern ‘stained-glass’ effect by their colourful finish, adorning the main church space with multi-shade illuminations from all directions.

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto approach image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto entrance image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto interior view of chapel image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto seating image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto interior curtains drawn image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto colourful finish of secondary rooms images © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto window and rooflight of entryway images © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto office space image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto entrance at night image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto night view image © takashi suzuki

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto site map

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto plan (1) chapel (2) private room (3) shower room (4) kitchen (5) office (6) entrance (7) prayer’s room

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto section (1) chapel (4) kitchen (6) enrance

k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumotosouth elevation

project info:

architects: katsunobu tasho and atsushi ueda, shinichi kawakatsu (katsunobu tasho architecutre+un voice) structural design: yoshiki mondo (mnd) contractor: chukuhokumokuzaikensetsu co., ltd. textile design: akane moriyama speaker: manpei tsurubayashi (sound equipment producer/sonihouse)