ROOVICE draws from studio ghibli interiors to renovate pharmacy in yokohama

roovice revives 50-year-old family house in Koshigoe

Studio ROOVICE completes the renovation project of a two-story residence and pharmacy in Koshigoe municipality, south Yokohama. Kamakura is a town commonly known for its east-west development parallel to the coastline following the main road and the Enoshima electric railway. Like many dwellings in the area, the ‘Koshigoe House’, built in 1971, is located right in front of train tracks. The surroundings limit access to the building, placing the entrance of both public and private premises in the south orientation. The first floor is occupied by the herbal pharmacy’s public functions, while the second floor is an independent apartment.

koshigoe house as seen from the other side of the rail tracks | all images by Akira Nakamura

Studio ghibli aesthetics ingrained in the renovated interior

Following the client’s request to imitate the visuals and ambiance of Studio Ghibli movies, ROOVICE designers took reference from ‘The Secret World of Arrietty’ and ‘When Marnie Was There’. The colorful aesthetics and the predominance of wooden textures had the most part in the interior renovation project. The first floor merged several rooms shaping into an open working space, while still retaining some private areas separated. The vertical and diagonal pillars were kept for their substructure value, as well as the notional divisions that they create.

entrance of both public and private premises in the south orientation

flexible flat layout in calm private zone of ‘Koshigoe House’

The single-person apartment settles on the second floor in a relatively open layout. The arrangement of the spaces allows flexibility of movement throughout the rooms. Four zones take up the area with the kitchen and bedroom on the north end, and the dining room and bright terrace on the south side. The darker tone of the public space and the calm atmosphere of the discreet apartment blend seamlessly in the renovated ‘Koshigoe House’.

first floor interior functioning as herbal pharmacy

wooden textures in the second floor’s kitchen area

the kitchen counter in the single-person’s apartment

strong wooden structure divides the zones in the second floor

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flexible plan layout of the second floor

flat's kitchen colorful tones detail

entrance to the premise right along the railway

project info:

name: Koshigoe House

architecture: ROOVICE
lead designer: Maoko Sato

construction: Koichi Takahashi

location: Koshigoe, Kamakura, Yokohama, Japan

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom