Higeta Building
Higeta Building is a seven story headquarters in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, designed for a long established soy sauce maker. The reinforced concrete structure is wrapped in anodized aluminum louvers set at a pitch of 300 mm. The louver angles vary to reduce southwest sun and to protect privacy, and the surface recalls a wheat field moving in the wind. A deep black wall coating strengthens the shadows and refers to fermentation. Inside, a central light court brings daylight into the narrow plan and supports seasonal natural ventilation.