Under a White Roof

A wooden box wrapped in a white skin

This headquarters for a company that develops and manufactures makeup containers required consistent lighting and a stable thermal environment as well as a comfortable workspace. The functional areas are arranged around the business management office in concentric circles, with a semi-exterior portico surrounded by walls and a roof on the outermost edge. Deep eaves wrap protectively around the interior. Setting a gable roof over this arrangement of concentric circles resulted in rooms with ceilings of varying heights, adding to the diversity of spaces throughout the building.

The skeleton is formed of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams up to 7.28 meters long and a 12-milimeter-thick steel plate in place of the ridgepole, enabling an open interior space with almost no posts. We were also able to achieve a comfortable thermal environment with low running costs. The use of a desiccant air conditioner in summer reduces the need for cooling by dehumidifying the air, while in winter a radiant floor heating system maintains a stable interior temperature without blowing heat. The façade, resembling a wooden box wrapped in white skin, is comprised of an airtight, highly insulated wooden exterior covered in white, heat-shielding metal sheeting that serves both design and interior environment goals. The building is located across a walking path from a home designed by our firm seven years ago, “Under the Large Roof,” and the synergy between these two distinctive buildings has made the street into something of a local landmark.