Completed in February 2020, a commercial tenant building in Shiki, Saitama, Japan, is uniquely integrated into its surrounding community. Located on a commercial street 30 minutes by train from the center of Tokyo, the steel-framed building called Shikism, is within walking distance of the Shiki Station in Saitama Prefecture. The city had prospered as a commercial area on the banks of the Shingashi River during the Edo period, and in modern times has become a major stop on the Tobu-Tojo railway line.
Aluminum cladding reflects changes in weather, cars, bicycles and flow of people
Photo: Takumi Ota Photography
Designed by Sasaki Architecture, Tokyo, the 8,300-square-foot multitenant building has four stories above ground and one below. According to Ryuichi Sasaki, principal of Sasaki Architecture, the architects began the design process by reflecting on the type of architecture that could create a new dialogue within the scenery of Shiki, which then evolved in relationship to the river, greenery and people, while also embodying the spirit of the city.
Since one of the most important needs of a modern commercial tenant building is to maximize profit, this project needed to meet that need while also allowing diverse values to exist simultaneously. “The design influenced by vessel-like figure was adopted, and by using a reflective aluminum cladding with added color, the building reflects the constant changing weather and the flow of cars, bicycles and people,” Sasaki explains. “The unique design in the shopping district has the effect of creating spaces that come alive. In addition, the tenant space is shaped in a simple rectangular area, allowing it to maximize profits.”
Photo: Takumi Ota Photography
With a façade of approximately 3,200 square feet of reflective colored-aluminum cladding of bright-dip anodized aluminum in silver and bronze from Shinko Stainless Kenma Co. Ltd., Saitama, the building is integrated into the shopping street that leads to Shiki Station, which serves as the starting point for a new era for the district. The size and shape of the three front terraces are different on each floor, bringing variety to the façade. There are some places where part of the ceiling or floor are missing, while in others the floor tilts up into a wall to connect with the floor above it. The terrace is made of the same-colored aluminum as the façade and reflects the movement of people inside and outside the building. Additionally, the terraces create visual communication between the tenants and the city. Between the upper and lower balcony slabs, vines climb the wires and rods. “The façade is envisioned as an iconic new architectural form, giving rise to interactions between the building and the colored aluminum,” Sasaki explains.
The basement and first floor of the building is a food court featuring the best restaurants in and around Shiki, while a nursery school is on the second floor, and the third and fourth floors have offices. “The terraces are well integrated with the tenant spaces, which were designed with careful attention to light, greenery and the flow of space,” explains Sasaki.