Thisispaper Community
Join today.
Enter your email address to receive the latest news on emerging art, design, lifestyle and tech from Thisispaper, delivered straight to your inbox.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Instant access to new channels
The top stories curated daily
Weekly roundups of what's important
Weekly roundups of what's important
Original features and deep dives
Exclusive community features
Setagaya Flat by Naruse Inokuma Architects
Jutaku
under the patronage of
DwellWell
under the patronage of
@zaxarovcom
Jan 29, 2021

In this refurbished modern-day Tokyo apartment, Naruse Inokuma Architects, in collaboration with Hiroko Karibe Architects, applied the ancient principles of wabi-sabi to a contemporary setting.

Unfinished plywood and cement smeared over concrete give a renovated Tokyo apartment the appearance of an elegant building site. The architects decided to leave the walls of the interior unfinished, a surprisingly pleasing aesthetic mixed alongside modern fixtures and furniture. The concrete coalesces with the light wood floors and built in wooden shelving and storage units. The architects wanted to blend the old with the new, thus retaining old elements.

"By using new materials to create a sense of the old, we created a dynamic interior; the existing space adapts to the new, yet the age-old beauty remains." — Naruse

No items found.
Join +
We love less
but there is more.
Become a Thisispaper+ member today to unlock full access to our magazine, advanced tools, and support our work.
Travel Guides
Submission Module
Print Archive
Curated Editions
+ more
Buy now
No items found.
@zaxarovcom
Jan 29, 2021

In this refurbished modern-day Tokyo apartment, Naruse Inokuma Architects, in collaboration with Hiroko Karibe Architects, applied the ancient principles of wabi-sabi to a contemporary setting.

Unfinished plywood and cement smeared over concrete give a renovated Tokyo apartment the appearance of an elegant building site. The architects decided to leave the walls of the interior unfinished, a surprisingly pleasing aesthetic mixed alongside modern fixtures and furniture. The concrete coalesces with the light wood floors and built in wooden shelving and storage units. The architects wanted to blend the old with the new, thus retaining old elements.

"By using new materials to create a sense of the old, we created a dynamic interior; the existing space adapts to the new, yet the age-old beauty remains." — Naruse

section is proudly under the patronage of:
Introducing OS
An intimate space which helps creative minds thrive.
Discover. Share. Embrace.
Thisispaper Shop
Shop Now
Thisispaper+Guides
Discover the most inspiring places and stories through carefully-curated travel guides.
Explore all GuidesExplore channels