fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan

blue box office project crafts a bright, energy-efficient workspace with innovative use of natural light.

Sano Satoshi edited by christina vergopoulou November 23, 2023 4 min

eureka, HHO & Keio Architecture Sano coproduce blue box office

Blue Box Office, a collaborative project by Eureka, HHO, and Keio Architecture Sano lab, unveils a two-story wooden office building nestled on sloping terrain within a densely-built residential area in Japan. The upper floor houses the primary office spaces, strategically designed to receive indirect natural light. In contrast, the open ground floor establishes a connection with the surrounding community, serving as a link between the upper office space and the local context. The structural timber frames, leaning against a concrete retaining wall, define the expansive ground floor.

The project ensures the brightness of the interior spaces and achieves a comfortable, energy-efficient office environment while fostering a sense of openness and continuity with the neighborhood. The design prioritizes the integration of natural light, realized through carefully positioned clerestory windows. Light shelves, constructed from perforated metal plates and metal fabric, diffuse and reflect the incoming sunlight. This design choice effectively illuminates the entire office space and the entrance hall on the first floor.

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 1 — all images by Ookura Hideki, Uemura Kohei

Perforated metal reflectors Ensure Constant indirect lighting

For the workspace, Eureka, HHO, and Keio Architecture Sano lab meticulously craft a light environment, harnessing the benefits of natural light from the north-facing clerestory windows. The project aims to minimize artificial lighting consumption, promoting the wellness and productivity of occupants. Despite the site being open only to the north, the strategic introduction of diffusing and reflecting light from the south-facing clerestory windows maximizes brightness. Perforated metal reflectors soften direct light, creating a visually spacious environment. The ceilings, featuring aluminum-foil-finished sloped surfaces or plaster-finished curves, enhance the play of light and emphasize the room’s height. Daylight autonomy simulations validate a consistent illumination of 300 lx throughout the seasons, emphasizing the project’s commitment to energy-efficient design.

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 2 — Blue Box Office is a collaborative project by Eureka, HHO, and Keio Architecture Sano lab

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 3 — the two-story wooden office is strategically nestled in a densely built residential area

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 4 — the structural timber frames, leaning against a concrete retaining wall, define the expansive ground floor

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 5 — the open ground floor serves as a link between the upper office space and the local context

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 6 — the upper floor houses the primary office spaces, strategically designed to receive indirect natural light

blue-box-office-eureka-hho-keio-architecture-sano-lab-japan-designboom-1800-3 — the design prioritizes the integration of natural light, realized through carefully positioned clerestory windows

fragmented timber blue box office stands on sloping terrain in japan - 7 — the ceiling is finished with perforated metal plates and fabric to diffuse sunlight

blue-box-office-eureka-hho-keio-architecture-sano-lab-japan-designboom-1800-2 — the project fosters a sense of openness and continuity with the neighborhood

workspace enjoys consistent diffused natural light light and wind pass freely through the workspace skipped floors are designed to follow the slope of the land

project info:

name: Blue Box Office
architect: Eureka | HHO | Keio Architecture Sano lab

eureka architects: Inagaki Junya, Sano Satoshi, Nagai Takuo, Hori Eisuke

hho architect: Hayata Hirotaka

keio architecture sano lab architects: Hirano Kazuyo, Miyazaki Hiroshi, Sadano Toru, Saito Naoki, Miyatake Sotaro, Sano Satoshi

location: Saitama, Japan

photography: Ookura Hideki, Uemura Kohei

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