Tadashi Hirai Design Studio: The site is located in an area surrounded by large commercial buildings. Since it is not located along a busy arterial road, we envisioned relatively slow vehicle movement and walk-in customers from the spacious open-air parking lot. Surrounding stores are single-story buildings 7 to 8 meters high. The design was based on a single-sloping roof to accommodate the speed of cars and people.
The facade of the store has a single-flow gable face. The south side of the building is used as the entrance to the store, and a large wall runs through the interior and exterior of the building, allowing for beautiful natural light and a pleasant sense of seasonal change. We think that one of the raison d'etre of a roadside store is that it is a vessel that can reflect the external environment.
Since the facade faces north, there is a large shadow in front of the store during the day, but we created an opening in part of the large overhanging roof to allow light to shine through the shadow. In the afternoon, the shade cast by the trees is reflected vividly on the north wall. By changing the backyard section at the rear of the store from a single-sloping roof to a gable roof shape, bright light from the south is effectively brought in through the gap between the two roofs. The triangular shape of the opening and the adjustment of the sleeve wall and the roof's protrusion ensure that the products at hand are not exposed to direct sunlight.
The large roof and rafters continue to the interior, with thick, freestanding walls and volumes making up the exterior face. In addition to this, the steel frame and sashes have been adjusted to moderately reduce the presence of glass, creating an open space in which visitors can easily sense the outside environment even when spending time inside the store.
