Konohana Clinic

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

KONOHANA CLINIC

OTA Archistudio + Kubota Construction

ARCHITECTS
Kubota Construction, OTA Archistudio

PHOTOGRAPHS
Shota Kikuchi

LOCATION
Nagano, Japan

CHIEF ARCHITECT
Takehiro Ota

MANUFACTURERS
K.I.N., LIXIL, Mitsui Home Components

STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Megumi Tamura Structural Factory, Megumi Tamura

PROJECT DESIGNER
Dai Chiba

SOUNDSCAPE DESIGN
Taisuke Kimura

PLAN EXECUTION
Nagahisa Kubota

CATAGORY
Healthcare Architecture, Clinic

AREA
447 m²

YEAR
2020

CONSTRUCTION
KUBOTA CONSTRUCTION CORP.

LIGHTING DESIGN
Sugio Lighting Design Office, Atsushi Sugio

A LIGHT CEILING THAT CHANGES IN EVERY MOMENT

This project is a reproductive medical center in Nagano, Japan. Adopting the medical philosophy of adjusting the body cycle naturally, the clinic is layered with a light ceiling that is made of wooden trusses and a translucent ceiling layer that changes its appearance every moment according to the provision of natural sunlight.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

Almost no column is plotted in the internal space, the wooden trusses that span across the building allow free planning. The longest span truss in the center is at a maximum height of 1.7m and gradually decreases according to the length of each span.

The plenum space which carries various air volumes becomes a light pool that changes depending on the time of day, weather, and season of the year. The translucent ceiling layer promotes diffusion and reflection of light.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

SHAPE AND AXIS

The Mibu River flows to the south of the site, and the Southern Alps mountain range is far to the southeast. The shape of the site is similar to a parallelogram, and the building is laid along to it.


Structurally, it is more efficient to set the axis of the gantry trusses to the short side of the diagonal shape and direct the view of the spaces to the southeast. The elongated shape wall changes its visible area depending on the line of sight, creating both openness and closure at the same time.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

A relaxing waiting area is placed at the wide obtuse-angled space facing the southeastern view while the medical program rooms which required more enclosed closure are located on the northwest.

Since the office space is the core of the clinic operation, it is located in the center of the building for efficient and simpler movement to each room.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

By distorting the building according to the shape of the site, it creates spaces at the required size internally and secures the number of parking spaces required outdoor.

WOODEN ARCHITECTURE THAT CONSIDERED THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN THE LONG TERM

80% of the city where the site is located is covered by forest. It is not only important to use the local timber but, we also considered how the structure parts can be assembled by local craftsmen.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

To achieve that, we designed a simple structural form that is possible to be made by standard lumber that is available on the local market and avoids using special processed laminated lumber where possible.

The wooden trusses of this building are simply made by splitting the 90mm width lumber into half and sandwiching them together with 90mm wood posts.

Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi
Konohana Clinic
© Shota Kikuchi

Then, fastened by minimal bolts and jointed with drift pins. Wood shock has hit Japan since COVID-19, wooden architecture shall consider its supply chain in the long term.


Konohana Clinic
Plan
Konohana Clinic
Sections and Elevations