Yachiyo is the first project to be completed that is part of Atelier Tekuto's 'Relocation' project series. The building is situated 100 meters from the ocean in Hayama, Kanagawa prefecture. This is used as a secondary residence and temporary shop. The definition of Yachiyo in Japanese is 'a long time', which is a driving concept of the building.

Purpose

To fuse old and new material, juxtaposing the regional and cultural differences in a parallel arrangement.Sunlight was treated as a material, a material that can be captured only for an instant. It has the ability to fuse the juxtaposing elements or emphasize their differences. It exists both within and outside the human concept of time. Sunlight turns the interior space inside out. It highlights the dramatic structure as it permeates the building, accentuating the marriage between traditional and contemporary values.

Relocation

Two abandoned warehouses built 100 and 120 years ago were chosen. In order to reinforce the structure, the two warehouses were wrapped with furring strips that also function as thin columns. Enhanced high-pressure wool cement boards which act as insulation were attached. This provided structural reinforcement, humidity control and thermal insulation all in one system.

The wrapping material was reduced to a thickness of 95mm in order to provide more interior space. Also, the preexisting material was treated in order to prevent infestation and provide resistance against the salty environment. The first floor is composed of eighty year old bricks made in Shanghai. The material of the previous first floor was then refinished and applied to the 2nd floor. In effect, disused materials were transported from distant locations and given new life.

Ecology

The conservation of the global environment - the most significant theme for this century - ought to be examined from a new standpoint, through new developments and re-configurations.

Adopting specific local and regional characteristics in order to achieve not just simple integration between different architectural styles and cultures, but to create culture on an entirely new dimension.

A re-examination of the past in order to predict the future. An increased awareness of time as a phenomenon that can preserve local and regional differences in material and character.