This facility provides continuous employment support for people with disabilities, focusing on "weaving" as the primary activity.
Unlike conventional weaving, this facility produces free-form textiles without restrictions on colors, materials, or weaving methods. The philosophy is "Flaws are patterns, irregularities are art, weave as one likes," resulting in a constant stream of creatively rich works produced by the disabled individuals employed here.
When designing this building, the goal was to create an architecture that could be enjoyed not only by the facility's users but also by people in the community.
In Japan, welfare and care facilities often carry a negative connotation of being "closed off".
This design aims to dispel such images by conceptualizing an architecture that opens up to the town.
The facade's distinctive feature of variously sized windows frames the activities inside, creating a display that resembles a gallery of paintings when viewed from the outside.
Exterior photo
The facade design features windows of various sizes.
The placement of windows was controlled considering the internal activities and the way light enters the building.
When designing this building, the aim was to introduce the "fabrics" created by the facility's users to as many people as possible.
The fabrics displayed in the windows facing the street (functioning as a gallery) change continuously.
Consequently, the exterior pattern also changes, offering different facades with each season and event.
The hope is not only for the facility users to enjoy their activities but also for these activities to be visible to many people, potentially increasing interest in "weaving".
Exterior photo
At night, when it gets dark outside and the facility's lights turn on, the building's presence becomes even more pronounced.
The illuminated building becomes a local symbol, creating an opportunity for "welfare" activities to gradually take root in the community.
Exterior photo
The ground floor of the building houses a café and a facility's shop, and the floor plan is designed to guide people to the entrance.
The overall design of the building is based around white, but the cafe area uses a lot of wood materials to create a warm entrance.
Entrance to the cafe and the facility's shop
The use of a lot of wood and low color temperature lighting creates a warm atmosphere.
Interior
The interior is bathed in soft natural light. The interior uses a lot of wood, creating a warm atmosphere. The looms for weaving textiles can be seen in the photo.
Interior (second floor)
The shadows created by the windows become accents in the interior space.
Square lighting fixtures are randomly placed to further enhance the impression of the exterior facade.
Interior
A view of the storage for threads and looms used in weaving.
The use of wood as the primary material aims to create a space where users naturally feel at ease.
Shop interior
The fixtures are unified with oval shapes without corners, expressing the softness of the space.
The shop is in the foreground, with the cafe counter visible in the background.
Shop interior
Having a cafe within the facility shop creates a synergistic effect.
The ceiling has a rounded shape to avoid corners, giving a soft impression. Wooden fixtures are used to create a warm space.
Cafe interior
The cafe counter is made of processed solid Japanese horse chestnut wood.
Solid wood is used in areas where hands come into contact to allow people to feel the warmth of the wood.
