co+labo: Urban Architecture
Research & Design Laboratory
Blue Box Office Saitama Japan, 2023
Team: Hirano Kazuyo, Miyazaki Hiroshi, Sadano Toru, Saito Naoki, Miyatake Sotaro, Sano Satoshi / Keio University
Cooperation: Eureka, HHO, Suzuki Akitaka Light-environment of workspace with natural light from clerestory windows
To reduce the energy consumption of artificial lighting and improve the wellness and productivity of workers, we aimed to create a bright workspace utilizing daylight. Although the site is open only to the north, the aim was to maximize the brightness by daylight by introducing softly diffusing and reflecting light from the south-facing clerestory windows. The perforated metal reflectors soften the direct light into the space and at the same time illuminate the ceiling with reflected light, giving the space an expansive height direction. These ceilings are either aluminum-foil-finished sloped ceilings or plaster-finished curved ceilings, which fill the space with light and accentuate the height of the ceiling. Simulations of daylight autonomy have confirmed that daylight illumination (300 lx) is secured throughout the seasons.
Analytical design of spatial elements to promote workers' communication
To promote communication among workers in the office space, we designed the arrangement and shape of spatial elements, e.g. office desks, maximizing visual connectivity. Specifically, we employed a rational furniture arrangement to maximize visual connectivity using space syntax, with multiple island-type desks and PC monitors arranged mainly in an east-west orientation. This enabled an integrated spatiality in response to the light and floor levels in the scale of the furniture and fixtures.
