The Osaka Shin Kabukiza Theatre (1958), a masterpiece of Togo Murano who is known for his Karahafu gables, has been reborn as a hotel that incorporates a contemporary art gallery.

First, in order to add accessibility to the Namba District which is one of the centers of street culture in Osaka, we opened a large hole in the center of the building to reconnect the building with the area in back of Kabukiza. Precast Concrete (PC) and aluminum panels were used to renovate Togo Murano’s karahafu gables, and we covered the guest room structure that was added to the top of the building with a curtain wall that has aluminum fins. These aluminum fins are provided at a pitch of 1200mm, and between two and five of these fins are randomly overlapped in the depth direction. This provides the curtain wall with a fluctuating surface that evokes an image of natural phenomena such as clouds or fog.

This represents a challenge on our behalf to use particles that consist of thin aluminum panels to replicate the pattern of Karahafu gables created by Togo Murano in an ongoing attempt to give structures a soft and feminine character.

This represents a challenge on our behalf to use particles that consist of thin aluminum panels to replicate the pattern of Karahafu gables created by Togo Murano in an ongoing attempt to give structures a soft and feminine character.

© Photography by Kawasumi・Kobayasi Kenji Photograph Office