toyo ito + atelier tekuto finalize home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi

toyo ito + atelier tekuto finalize home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

the home-for-all initiative was born as a response to the great earthquake that hit eastern japan on march 11, 2011. developed by toyo ito and organized in collaboration with riken yamamoto, kengo kuma and kazuyo sejima, their vision is to offer assistance and affordable shelters to the victims of the disaster and help them get back on track by bringing the community back to life. each build is developed with both the inhabitants and the constructors in mind, providing an open dialogue between all those involved to discuss, gather and share ideas about the reconstruction of the area.

the structure is a construction made primarily of wood and is composed of a cottage and hut
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

to date, several structures have been erected as part of the home-for-all project including a small dwelling in rikuzentakata, the most recent being a small hut for fishermen of the town of kamaishi which was completed in november 2013.

on the occasion of BODW in hong kong, toyo ito presented the ‘home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi’ — conceived in partnership with atelier tekuto and ma design office — to a packed audience sharing the social and architectural payoff of its fabrication.

view of the fishing hut along the water
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

the humble scheme draws on fishing huts found in bahrain, and serves as a meeting place for anglers and the local community. a small cooking / eating and sitting area, known as the fisherman’s cottage, serves this purpose, while a chantey for rest and relaxation, is connected to the main programme via an open patio. the primarily wooden structure was erected with the help of students of the kyushu university, along with the general public and local craftsmen. it was fabricated using local materials and traditional construction methods and stands as a suggestion to what architecture can serve as out side of a roof over one’s head, on a social level.

view of the timber structure in its seaside context
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

the home-for-all venture is ongoing, and served as the focus of the japan pavilion at the 2012 venice architecture biennale for which toyo ito, alongside associates sou fujimito, akihisa hirata and kumiko inui won the golden lion.

logs create a structural framework over an open patio that connects the cottage with the hut
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

 the main interior programme is the cottage which serves as a meeting place for the community
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

a built in grill offers a place in which inhabitants can enjoy the day’s catch and engage in conversation
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

general view of the fisherman’s cottage
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

interior view of the ‘bahrain hut’
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

small separated slats of wood are used to build up the walls of the hut
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

toyo ito: home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi
image courtesy of atelier tekuto

toyo ito presenting the typology of bahrain fishing huts for which the home-for-all version is based-off
image © designboom

toyo ito presenting the ‘home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi’ at BODW 2013
image © designboom

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project info:

name: home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi
location: kamaishi city, japan
building use: meeting place
site area: main house, 45.06 square meters; fisherman’s cottage, 23.69 square meters; bahrain, 13.63 tsubo
construction area: main house, 11.36 square meters; fisherman’s cottage, 12.05 square meters; bahrain, 3.43 square meters
structure: wood
design: toyo ito & associates, architects + atelier tiangong, ma design office
structural design: atsushi sato
execution management: home builders, inc. + atelier tiangong people
photography: atelier tiangong people