Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Tokyo-based firm SYMBOLPLUS has completed a renovation of its own office. Completed at the beginning of this year, the project was an exercise in exploring how workplace design can respond to hybrid working patterns through material reuse, minimal intervention, and long-term adaptability.
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
The office is housed in a timber structure owned by architect Akio Hayashi, whose advocacy for natural materials informed the design approach. The approach to the renovation prioritized the retention of the existing building fabric and the avoidance of synthetic materials, focusing instead on continuity between the original structure and new additions.
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
The design preserves the building’s timber frame and introduces new elements that follow the space’s proportions and structural rhythm. Rather than creating visual contrast, the intervention aims to maintain the spatial warmth of the existing structure, allowing old and new components to coexist with minimal disruption.
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Material selection plays a central role in the project. Red earth from Ishikawa was applied as layered plaster by local artisans, with a tone adjusted to complement the timber interior. Shoji partitions were produced using reclaimed Tosa washi paper that had originally been destined for disposal. The paper was layered to improve durability while retaining translucency.
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
The shoji partitions provide flexible spatial organization, enabling the office to shift between open-plan working and more private meeting areas. In enclosed spaces, the panels also conceal shelving and equipment, helping to maintain a visually restrained environment.
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Image credit: Keishin Horikoshi
Traditional construction techniques are used throughout the renovation. Sliding partitions operate without metal fittings, while rotating ceiling panels conceal lighting that is only revealed when needed. The elements are intended to support long-term adaptability rather than serve as stylistic references.
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