architecture office kurosawa kawaraten transforms a liquor store storage in chiba, japan, into a multi-purpose space for the city’s university graduate students. paying maximum respect to the existing structure, which was built in 1911, the architects have preserved walls and features that hadn’t collapsed and combined them with minimal interventions.

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
east elevation

 

 

kurosawa kawaraten has renovated the structure to host the chiba university program, which aims at keeping its graduate students in the area by offering them a space to work, create their own projects and communicate with the locals. the east and west elevations of the ground level have been transformed with floor-to-ceiling glass to offer students the openness they need for working and interacting with visitors, while the original walls have been kept on the north and south sides. steel frames have been installed to reinforce the existing structure and the architects have kept the concrete slab of the base as flooring. to preserve the context and atmosphere of the surrounding area, the old corrugates on the exterior walls have been kept in place, and aggregates made of cracked tiles of the original roof have been laid under the eaves.

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
the gate and wide windows connect the students with the local area

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
multi-purpose space

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
south elevation

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
north elevation

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
from the office space. Students can feel the air of local. Passersby can also see the activity of the students.

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
looking down from the second floor

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
facing the street

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
the alley to the old shopping street

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
the space is used for various purposes

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
looking inside from the alley

kurosawa kawaraten transforms century-old japanese storage into multi-purpose space
the space at night time