atelier haretoke: workshop in the forest

‘workshop in the forest’ by atelier haretoke in tama, tokyo, japan all images courtesy atelier haretoke image © toshiyuki yano

japanese architecture practice atelier haretoke has shared with us images of ‘workshop in the forest’, a small single-level carpentry facility in the woods of tama mountain, tokyo, japan. given the nature of the principal program coupled with the lushness of the plot, the design revolves around the theme, ‘building with wood of this site, in itself’, seeking to find balance and relevance with the structure’s environment.

exterior viewimage © toshiyuki yano

situated adjacent to a curving road, the linear volume bends slightly towards the north end to hug around the site’s infrastructure. the thin, minimalist roof plane slopes downwards to the woods, following the descending topography of the mountainside. completely constructed out of tama timber by local carpenters, the long elevation highlights the warm and natural qualities of the material with a continuous cladding of horizontally-running panels. a line of clerestories and a collection of slim windows create transparent slits along the facade.

south entranceimage © toshiyuki yano

east facadeimage © toshiyuki yano

cladding and windowsimage © toshiyuki yano

west elevationimage © toshiyuki yano

accessed by large openings on either short sides of the structure, the interior is singularly finished in wood surfaces. the rhythmic structural details of the design are left exposed, further accentuating the construction’s methodology and material. natural daylight is secured through the strips of transparency along the elevation and both openings on the north and south ends. the backdrop of the forest is fully integrated into the interior’s sense of space.

interior viewimage © toshiyuki yano