Hello. This is Yoko Tokura from Domus Design. We will soon face an age of vacant houses. My articles show you the secrets for no vacancy management of rental apartment.
Today the topic is “blank space (PLACE NOT NECESSARY FOR LIVING).” When I was living in Italy, I found a decisive difference between Italian and Japanese apartments. That is there is much more blank space in Italian ones compared to Japanese ones. In my opinion, differences of Building Standard Law and mind of architects brought this situation.
In Milan, Italy there is no wide land just like Tokyo, Japan; however, in Milan there are courtyards or roof gardens beyond everywhere. It is quite fun to eyes walking around.
I always had bruises on my legs since I was so busy looking around townscapes of Milan and I hit them here and there. Beautiful greens and jars and everything on apartments enchanted me. I was wondering what a nice people living there.
Buildings of Italy, there is a gate and a narrow passage leading to the entrance of the apartment. And there is always a gatekeeper at the gate. Telling him your purpose of visit, security will be unlocked so you can come in. Once I found an exceptionally beautiful courtyard, I tried to get along with the gatekeeper and let me come in. In the courtyard, there is a sound of running water, sighing greens, singing birds. There are windows to take sunlight into the room, facing the courtyard.
It is La Bella Vita, Kyodo Setagaya-Ku Japan, that I designed to express this beautiful atmosphere I experienced in Italy. It means “beautiful life” in Italian. I tried to apply an idea of “blank space,” which Italians value as an element of townscapes. I will tell you what I expressed in La Bella Vita. Today, about its passage. I didn’t place the entrance directly facing the street as usual. Instead, I put a narrow passage with stone pavement which gradually rising. I made the passage look like a completely different place at day and night by using light effects. I designed niches on the wall and installed lightning devices on the top. At Italy, the Mary smiles in there; however, for Japanese apartment, handmade lightning devices were laid.
The scenery along the passage changes drastically as you go out in the morning and you come back in the evening. Don’t you think living in such an apartment is very encouraging? The power of light is much greater than it looks. You walk through the passage and you will find the gate made of iron. Opening the gate, you will reach the courtyard, which is one of the most necessary things of Italian life. From here, let’s save it for next time!
La Bella Vita contains lots of blank space like this. So that its rooms are fully occupied after 10 years from completion.
