sugawaradaisuke: aqua plannet headquarters / office in forest

‘aqua plannet headquarters / office in forest’ by sugawaradaisuke, matsuzaka, japanimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners incall images courtesy of daisuke sugawara

japanese architect sugawaradaisuke has shared with us images of his recently completed ‘office in the forest’ in matsuzaka, a new headquarters for aqua plannet. the design plays with a void in a corrugated metal-clad box that carves a light-filled space like a contemporary cavern with various spheres of activity within. the light steel frame supports the massive canopy whose weight disappears when inside and no sense of depth is perceived, only the reflections of the exterior conditions on the various interior surfaces.

the open floor plan encourages its users to take advantage of its flexibility and the different views to the outside offered by the continuous horizontal glass fissure. formally independent white structures exist within the main area, filling the negative space until breaking away before reaching the apex of the ceiling. the interior is subject to the nature of the exterior, changing itself with the shifts in climate and light, mirrored in the dynamic interior lighting scheme that changes colors to match certain moods.

elevation with the ‘house’ void taken from the larger boximage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

wrapping glass wallimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

(left) entry nook(right) central closed courtyard services the conference and working areasimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

entray conference roomimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

planted bamboo garden provides a green wallimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

private white volumes within the main spaceimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

entry to working areaimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

open floor plan allows flexibility in desk placementimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

private officeimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

lit at nightimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

image © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

bird’s eye viewimage © takeshi nakasa / nacasa & partners inc

site plan

contextual diagram

project info:

project name: office in forest / aquaplannet headquarters buildinglocation: matsuzaka city, mie prefconcept design: sugawaradaisukeschematic design: sugawaradaisukedesign development: sugawaradaisuke + kitamuragumi corporationconstruction: kitamuragumi corporationprincipal use: officestructure: steel flamesite area: 1193.30 sqmbuilding area: 356.44sqmfloor area: 348.01 sqmheight: 3,900 mmnumber of stories: 1