OSAKA HIRAISHIN KOGYO KOBE OFFICE / Japan
TAKENAKA CORPORATION / Japan
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DFA Design for Asia Awards 2025 l Silver Award l Spatial Design l Workspaces
Reduced to Renew
A 35-year-old concrete building, once slated for demolition, is reborn through a precise act of subtraction and extension. By removing entire volumes and inserting cantilevered additions without new foundations, the design transforms inefficiency into openness—connecting workspaces through a central void that enhances light, air, and communication. Locally sourced timber and repurposed camphor trees form furniture and finishes, their natural patina deepening with time. Exterior tiles and structure were retained, achieving a 70% reduction in waste and CO₂ emissions. What remains is neither old nor new, but a refined framework where use, memory, and material quietly coexist.
