丘のまち交流館 ビ・エール

BIEI Community Facility "bi.yell"

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A building that formerly housed a supermarket has been transformed into a communal space that centers around childcare services and artistic activities. The community of Biei needed an alternative form of public space that allows people from different generations and backgrounds to freely engage in various activities and interact with each other. The preexisting building had two stories along with a partial underground floor; the first floor was used for commercial purposes, while the second floor was used as residence. The building was supported by a generic steel framing system. Yet interestingly, the height of each story differed significantly, allowing the first floor to be transformed into an open public space and the second floor to be used as a semi-public space for locals.
Complying with recent changes in the building codes, a canopy covering the entire preexisting structure was constructed to reduce the snow load on the old steel framing. This new structure allowed the programmatic conversion of the building to take place and became the core feature of the renovation. The alleviation of the snow load and removal of the preexisting roof increased the seismic capacity of the steel framing drastically. In the interior, we added new “cylindrical spaces” on the second floor and “freestanding stone walls” made from recycled Biei soft stone on the first floor, turning the generic space into a comfortable platform for various activities.
The skylights on the canopy bring the gentle northern sunlight into the building, and the horizontal louvers spread the light, creating a dynamic luminous region that changes over time. The “cylindrical spaces” that intersect with the steel framing lack the louvers and join directly with the canopy. These spaces provide the necessary functions for the second floor and subtly organize the different programs while preserving a sense of interconnectedness between them. Some parts of the “cylindrical spaces” have openings that allow natural light to come into the gallery space on the first floor. The “freestanding stone walls” located on the first floor are structurally independent from the steel framing. Maneuvering in and out of the original structure, these walls protect and express the spatial experience of the traditional stone warehouses of Biei while engendering a new form of relationship with the community.
This building was essentially created by superimposing four central features: the canopy, the steel framing, the “cylindrical spaces,” and the “freestanding stone walls.” Instead of simply putting these together, the features were intricately merged to generate a coherent whole. Despite the wide diversity of programs and atmosphere, each space somehow alludes to the entirety of the building. In addition, the building connects the people’s activities with the townscape and suggests a new world that spreads beyond the building’s confines, stimulating the creative minds of the community.

Collaborator: Takeo OZAWA, Norio KIKUCHI 

photo credit : No.01~51 DAICI ANO


丘のまち交流館 ビ・エール

BIEI Community Facility "bi.yell"

A building that formerly housed a supermarket has been transformed into a communal space that centers around childcare services and artistic activities. The community of Biei needed an alternative form of public space that allows people from different generations and backgrounds to freely engage in various activities and interact with each other. The preexisting building had two stories along with a partial underground floor; the first floor was used for commercial purposes, while the second floor was used as residence. The building was supported by a generic steel framing system. Yet interestingly, the height of each story differed significantly, allowing the first floor to be transformed into an open public space and the second floor to be used as a semi-public space for locals.
Complying with recent changes in the building codes, a canopy covering the entire preexisting structure was constructed to reduce the snow load on the old steel framing. This new structure allowed the programmatic conversion of the building to take place and became the core feature of the renovation. The alleviation of the snow load and removal of the preexisting roof increased the seismic capacity of the steel framing drastically. In the interior, we added new “cylindrical spaces” on the second floor and “freestanding stone walls” made from recycled Biei soft stone on the first floor, turning the generic space into a comfortable platform for various activities.
The skylights on the canopy bring the gentle northern sunlight into the building, and the horizontal louvers spread the light, creating a dynamic luminous region that changes over time. The “cylindrical spaces” that intersect with the steel framing lack the louvers and join directly with the canopy. These spaces provide the necessary functions for the second floor and subtly organize the different programs while preserving a sense of interconnectedness between them. Some parts of the “cylindrical spaces” have openings that allow natural light to come into the gallery space on the first floor. The “freestanding stone walls” located on the first floor are structurally independent from the steel framing. Maneuvering in and out of the original structure, these walls protect and express the spatial experience of the traditional stone warehouses of Biei while engendering a new form of relationship with the community.
This building was essentially created by superimposing four central features: the canopy, the steel framing, the “cylindrical spaces,” and the “freestanding stone walls.” Instead of simply putting these together, the features were intricately merged to generate a coherent whole. Despite the wide diversity of programs and atmosphere, each space somehow alludes to the entirety of the building. In addition, the building connects the people’s activities with the townscape and suggests a new world that spreads beyond the building’s confines, stimulating the creative minds of the community.

Collaborator: Takeo OZAWA, Norio KIKUCHI 

photo credit : No.01~51 DAICI ANO


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