FLIP THE SWITCH

Japanese design explores the increasing need for live-work space

IF ANYONE DOUBTS the future of live-work environments, the pandemic has demonstrated that it’s going to be more than a passing trend. So are home builders ready?

Designing a home that can serve both live and work roles begins by having flexible interiors. Ironically, that includes adopting office building technologies such as demountable walls, of which there are three basic types. The first is a mobile or operable system, which has a sliding mechanism that allows a wall panel to move along ceiling tracks.

The second is a demountable system, similar in concept to the traditional drywall system—walls are constructed with metal studs that are placed at specific intervals.

The third type is the portable partition made of prefabricated panels that are brought to a desired location and held in place by channels in the ceiling and floor.

One can also employ sliding screens. This is common in Japan, where large screens made of wooden frames and paper are moved along tracks affixed to the floor and ceiling.

You can also use shelving and furniture to divide spaces. Furniture partitions help to make small spaces feel larger by blurring boundaries between rooms, allowing the eye to see beyond them, preventing small spaces from feeling boxed in. Further, when shelves, cabinets or other storage units are used to create partitions, small areas are provided with muchneeded storage space.

If you want an example of an efficient live-work environment, consider Switch. Tokyo architect Yuko Shibata and her husband purchased an aging 940 sq. ft. apartment and decided to remodel it to function as a home office for Shibata’s firm. However, the transformation of the residential space seemed impossible due to its boxframe reinforced concrete construction, with almost every wall being load-bearing. Additionally, the couple wanted a way to change the home so there could be a “switch” between work and home.

The conditions were challenging, but after some renovations, the Switch was complete—and on a budget. Instead of confining her office in a corner of the apartment, Shibata utilized the entire home—cutting holes into walls and adding partitions.

Built-in bookshelves have provided more office shelf space, and plywood partition doors with built-in shelves open into the bedroom to form a reading nook.

Moreover, two built-in bookshelves contain large doors—providing the ability to transform from a home to office environment, or vice versa, without altering the original floorplan.

One of the two bookshelves was added to the meeting room. As a result, the area on the side of the bookshelf can double as either a library or meeting room.

The second bookshelf, meanwhile, was added to the bedroom. A large built-in window-like opening in the shelf makes it possible to approach it from the office side without having to go through the bedroom.

When the bookshelf door is opened, a partition between the bedroom and the study is created, with the added ability to have space for the library.

Shibata has also created partitions that can slide over the dining table and door frame that, when open, reveal the bookshelves to allow for a more efficient use of space.

Switch demonstrates how creative thinking can be harnessed to create flexible space. And given recent history, it’s something builders and renovators will need to increasingly explore. OHB

AVI FRIEDMAN IS AN ARCHITECT, PROFESSOR, AUTHOR AND SOCIAL OBSERVER. AVI.FRIEDMAN@MCGILL.CA