MIKAN-REAL ESTATE OFFICE

This project converted a former roadside tempura shop into the new premises of a local real estate company. We left the building's timber post-and-beam frame almost untouched, keeping the existing columns, beams, and braced walls exposed while completely renewing the interior and exterior.

Outside, the building has a new face of wood-grain and silver cladding, and large fixed glass panes along the road give it a bright, welcoming storefront. Under the eaves, a wooden deck and planting greet visitors. Inside, the reception and consultation counter and an airy, high-ceilinged consultation lounge anchor a single open room, with the kids' corner and office area around them. Changes in floor level and finish define each zone, while partitions left open at the top keep them loosely connected. Facing the entrance, a counter wall of randomly laid wood blocks and solid oak flooring work together with walls finished in a white plaster-like coating and natural light from the large openings, lending warmth and character to what could easily have been a sterile commercial space.

The client also wanted a fresh logo to mark the move, so we designed the company logo along with stationery such as envelopes. The mark fits a stylized rendering of the hiragana for "mikan" (mandarin orange) into a square, combining the shape of a house with colors that call the fruit to mind, for a mark that is easy to use and youthful. We designed a new logotype to go with it.