k tasho architecture+unvoice: church in matsumoto

'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.



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.



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.



approach
image © takashi suzuki



entrance
image © takashi suzuki



interior view of chapel
image © takashi suzuki



seating
image © takashi suzuki



interior curtains drawn
image © takashi suzuki



colourful finish of secondary rooms
images © takashi suzuki



image © takashi suzuki



window and rooflight of entryway
images © takashi suzuki



image © takashi suzuki



office space
image © takashi suzuki



entrance at night
image © takashi suzuki



night view
image © takashi suzuki



site map



plan
(1) chapel
(2) private room
(3) shower room
(4) kitchen
(5) office
(6) entrance
(7) prayer's room



section
(1) chapel
(4) kitchen
(6) enrance



south 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)