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IRELAND
HOUSE
TOKYO

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IMAGES : Giulia Frigerio

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Competition for the new embassy of Ireland in Tokyo, Japan

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in cooperation with Hiroko Nakatani 

Structural engineering Marc Hymans

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2019

The project revolves around a main axis which runs from east to west on the site. A series of structural arches face the axis which represents the gate towards the west. This feature evoks ancient Irish wedge tombs orientated west to capture the sunset on the equinox day. The east side, is marked by the rising sun, the national symbol of Japan, which represents the arrival of the new season on equinox day in Japanese culture. The visitor enters Ireland via these arches, where the two cultures meet.

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There are several moments in the building where you can see through the east-west axis. On the equinox day, to the west, the visitor will see the sun set exactly under the arches. The building consists of a wooden frame, cast-in-place concrete arches and a waffle beam structure. On the exterior side of the glass facade, Irish oak fins are placed to protect from the solar heat gain during the summer season. The combination of the concrete arches and the waffle beams provides seismic strength to the structure as well as maximum ceiling height. The iconic exposed waffle geometry on the ceiling is visible from the street. Raised floor layers on each level host the necessary cables for the functions of the building. Most of the interior floor and wall finishes will be made of irish oak panels. With the combination of exposed wood framed cast-in-place concrete and the oak finish, the new Irish house in Tokyo will have a warm, honest, and contemporary and yet timeless facade.

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In linking the admiration to nature with the east-west axis to both irish and japanese culture in the building throughout the project, the users will communicate more than two countries: they will illuminate what it means to be irish or japanese in the global setting.

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©2019 by Emily Murphy.

All rights reserved

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