I was shocked at the moment when I looked at the perspective drawing. What captivated me was its bright red color and beauty in shape inspired by “Origata,” a symbol of traditional Japanese method of decorative wrapping for gifts. "This is so cool. I want to give shape to it exactly true to this drawing,” that’s what I thought as a first impression. As Ms. Tamura was based in New York, we shared our images online. The process of her design work is very clear and conveys a strong message, too. Working with Ms. Tamura was really a fresh, enjoyable experience to us, as she had a perspective different from architects and ideas going far beyond our imaginations.

The site of the toilet was a narrow, triangular lot alongside a railroad track, and the creator’s sharp, sophisticated design was intended to take advantage of this limited space. In order to make the design real somehow, both design and construction divisions worked as one even before the drafting of construction drawing, trying to figure out an optimal construction method. The biggest challenge was its roof. What was requested by Ms. Tamura were paper-thin eaves. After repeated trial and error, we achieved a thickness of only 20mm with the use of structural steel sheets that were not normally used for roofs. The walls would be also worthy of attention as their thinness is something extraordinary for a building.