Mederu – Auto Repair Shop in Nigata, Japan by Daigo Ishii + Future-scape Architects

Article source: Mederu – Auto Repair Shop

It locates in the suburb of Nigata City as one of the big cities in Japan. The factory is used by the factory staff and the users who like to repair and remodel car by oneself. In the suburb of Nigata City, many suburbian architectures appear. The majority is classified in ‘the commercial establishment with strong color and fanciful form’ and ‘the monotonous offices and warehouses which have no interest of design and is finished with grey or beige color’. We intended to design a new suburbian architecture that reflects the character of the suburb but was neither involved in the fancifulness competition nor was different from the monotonous office.

Exterior View (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

• Architects: Daigo Ishii + Future-scape Architects
• Project: Mederu – Auto Repair Shop
• Location: Nigata, Japan
• Structural engineers: Oga Structural Design Office
• Mechanical engineers: Mai Mechanical Design
• Client: Three Eight Business
• Use: Car Repair Factory

Exterior View (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

• Site area: 1529.11 m2
• House area: 204.97 m2
• Floor area: 251.96m2
• Completion date: April, 2008
• Structure: Steel
• Exterior finish: galvanized steel plate
• Floor: concrete painted by polyurethane paint
• Wall: plaster board painted by acrylic emulsion paint
• Ceiling: plaster board painted by vinyl paint

Exterior View (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

1. Low cost and box form volume

Since the construction cost was extreme low, we adopted a simple box form volume as a minimum size necessary for getting the legal certification. We thought that the low cost and the box form were the important characters for the suburbian architecture.

2. Design of reverse : Continuous but independent

The keyword of design in this factory is ‘REVERSE’. It was based on the field survey and the analysis of the suburb of Nigata. By reversing some characters of the suburbian architecture, we designed an architecture that was continuous with the usual suburbian architecture and townscape but independent from those by the somewhat different atmosphere based on the reverse.

Exterior View (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

2a. Reverse of the exterior appearance

In the usual suburbian architecture, the windows reflect the state of the interior, that is, the windows open from the inside towards the outside. While, in this factory, each-side’s window reflects the different state of the each side’s exterior, that is, it opens from the outside towards the inside.

Each side façade is composed of the windows with different height, rhythm and sash type. The gap of each side encounters at the corner of the facade.

Exterior View (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

For example, the south side façade has big glass windows supported by rib glass. It reflects the state of main road with heavy traffic and corresponds to the speed of car. It would be seen as a big television screen put beside road at the night.

While, the west side façade faces to the wash space, and it has the windows with low height as a consideration to the slow speed of car or the walking speed of the visitor. The fix windows and glass doors repeat mutually with rhythm so that the inside would connect with the outdoor space on the vision and the activity.

Rounge (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

2b. Reverse of the interior color

In the usual suburbian architecture, the interior is finished in monotonous colors such as grey, white and beige. Contrastively, in this factory, the strong color of orange and light blue is introduced so that it would make reverse the preconception of usual people for the interior color of the suburbian architectrue. The color is the only finish material that the low-cost suburbian architecture can use.

The interior colors changed from orange to light blue at the glass screen in the center. When they pass the changing point, they are always conscious of the reverse.

Rounge (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

2c. Connection of reverse

A few staffs manage the factory. So the client hoped to be able to take charge of it easily.

The walls open with radiated form from the lounge towards the outdoor wash space so that the staff could take charge from the desk in the lounge. The space between the radiated walls is a waiting space. Both side of the walls are finished in mirror that reflects the dead angle of the interior of the factory and the outdoor washing space.

By the effect of the mirror, the two colors of interior, the real exterior image and the virtual exterior image on the mirror encounter together in the waiting space. Then the waiting space becomes a pivot part of the factory.

Gallery (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

Gallery (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

Garage (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

Office (Image Courtesy K.Torimura)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Future-scape)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Future-scape)

Rounge (Image Courtesy Future-scape)

Rounge (Image Courtesy Future-scape)

Wating Space (Image Courtesy Future-scape)

Tags: Japan, Nigata

Categories: Service Station, Shop

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