Kitaoka Gumi has unveiled the renovation of its 40-year-old headquarters in the bucolic Japanese locale of Yoshinogawa Valley. Completed by Wataru Architects, the linear design mirrors the axis of the nearby Yoshinogawa River and features a central atrium and axial skylight stretching more than 160 feet. The indoor-outdoor project embodies flexibility as it promotes both transparency and engagement. “We wanted people to feel a sense of connection that transcends departments and roles, a natural blending of work and life, and an openness that comes from being surrounded by nature,” says Wataru Architects founder and principal Wataru Sato. “Our aim was to create a place where employees, families, and the local community naturally come together—an environment filled with light, wind, and greenery that fosters a richer, more human vision of how we work.”
The prefabricated office building is revitalized to support the evolving culture of work, organically linking its first and second floors to encourage dialogue and interaction. Facade openings bond interiors with the landscape, with abundant daylighting supporting operations throughout the day without artificial lighting or air conditioning. A 22-foot-tall Benjamin tree even rises at the heart of the structure toward the skylight as well. Plywood serves as the new primary material, with birch plywood in particular wrapping walls and ceilings to enrich existing textural and color palettes and imbue a regional identity through a seamless mix of old and new. Original tiling on both floors continues to adorn the concrete shell, while first-floor ceilings expose a red rust-proof coating unearthed after removing old ceiling panels. “By respecting the building’s original form and role, and reinterpreting it through a single design concept, the project demonstrates how renovation can give new value to ordinary structures.”
