PIER THIRTY Group’s Western Japan HQ Building / Yoshihiro Kato Atelier

Architects: Yoshihiro Kato Atelier
Location: Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Architect In Charge: Yoshihiro Kato
Area: 443.81 m2
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Nacasa & Partners inc.

From the architect. The PIER THIRTY Group’s Western Japan HQ building, built in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture, is a main office building of a company which runs eating/drinking establishments all over Japan. The venue of this building comprises the office space for administrative work and the kitchen for development of new menus as well as for practice by chefs from its each branch as test kitchen.

The façade is comprised of aluminum with LEDs affixed within the panels to give off light. The wooden louvers serve to create shade within the staircase on the inside stemming from the glass openings.

The test kitchen makes up the central concept of the building, which entails a plan characterized by a test kitchen that’s surrounded by glass and is visible from the entranceway. With kitchen counters installed along the hallways sides, one will find taste testing corners installed as well. The staircase connected to the second floor has been designed to present a silhouette resulting from of wooden louvers being wrapped around it. 4 types of wooden louver formations bring about changes in how light shines externally. An original pendant light employs a design characterized by ribbed Japanese paper on the upper part of the staircase. A pendant light using Japanese paper provides a soft light source for the space. The second floor is comprised of individual offices and meeting rooms. This space is not based on an administrative office concept; rather, it makes for an office building comprising space that encompasses design elements used in the commercial spaces of eating/drinking establishments built primarily with wooden materials.