A Convenient work space

On hold 
Tokyo, Japan
2020

Team: Will Galloway, Koen Klinkers, Valerie Vyvial

Covid-19 has left a lot of questions about how and where we will work into the future. This project was conceived before the virus took hold, and is now awaiting the future we will live in to appear. Places like this may be an important part of that world.

Simply stated, the Japanese convenience store is one of the most adaptable building typologies in the country, always nimble and exploring new ways to serve the communities they are embedded in. Taking on a range of social functions, from food delivery to the elederly to meeting spaces for local communities, the activities that convenience stores host is by no means limited to the provisiion of fast food and cheap calories. Quite the opposite, they host farmer's markets, act as banks, and post offices and are already embracing new ways of food production including urban farming and more.

It is not unexpected then that a convenience store in one of Tokyo's many centres would want to devote some of their space to hosting work spaces for the contemporary urban nomad. Filling the narrow end of a tall building there is little room to sprawl, and so we created a compact organic layout, filled with plants and a central column around which visitors can work, socialize and take private conversations. Based on the idea that the design would change as users make use of the space the initial design is simple, easy to break down and re-organize.