arii irie architects has completed ‘warehouse in ageo’, a light-filled space in japan topped with an exposed timber roof truss. located in a suburban context along a highway connecting tokyo and gunma, the project comprises a warehouse and office for a trading company that deals with machinery parts. the two-story building encloses the warehouse on the ground level, complete with adequate height in the front for forklifts, while the office space is placed in the rear of the second floor for protection from noise coming from the highway. 

arii irie architects tops light-filled warehouse in ageo, japan, with exposed timber roof trussall images by kai nakamura

 

 

arii irie architects has topped the warehouse building with a simple timber construction gable roof, while a cantilevering truss was chosen for the platform as a logical and economical solution for the organization of space. natural light penetrates the two-story interior from above through a full-length skylight, while a tent suspended below diffuses the light and reflects it to the ceiling. hovering above the warehouse and office, diamond-shaped space of the ceiling, created by the timber roof truss, acts as an environmental filter for the building.arii irie architects tops light-filled warehouse in ageo, japan, with exposed timber roof truss

 

 

the diamond-shaped void on the roof appears as an autonomous space with its strong geometry, while providing a sense of comfort for the workers and acting as an environmental filter for the building. during wintertime, the heat of the sunlight is sent to the floor through a pair of air ducts, while in the summer it is exhausted by fans on the gable end. in terms of construction, the two-story building comprises free standing columns, which divide the plan into two. 

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project info:

 

name: warehouse in ageo

architect: arii irie architects / atsuo arii, kako irie

location: ageo, saitama prefecture, japan

area: 483.3 m2

structural design: hideyuki hagiuda, sachiko kominami / KAP

MEP: hiroshi sako/ architectural energy research institute

lighting design: atsushi sugio/ sugio lighting design office

contractor: siguma – kensetsu