- Interior
The Kinuta Terrace apartments in Japan are a wonderful collaboration between the Danish Norm Architects and Japanese design studio Keiji Ashizawa, which arose from a common love and admiration for rich materials and a timeless look.
We have already written several blogs and articles about the beautiful designs of the Copenhagen-based Norm Architects. Their projects always exude the well-known Scandinavian elegance and style and are based on natural materials and a sober palette. For Kinuta Terrace, the studio collaborated with Keiji Ashizawa Design. Both in the Japanese and Danish design traditions there is a great passion for rich materials and a timeless look. These aspects therefore formed the basis of the design for these elegant apartments. 
‘It became an environment where all the elements are as closely connected as possible.’
The Kinuta Terrace complex was built in the 1980s. The designers were appointed to renovate and redecorate two apartments here. The interiors were given a minimalist design and were enveloped in the characteristic sober palette of natural materials and colours for which Norm Architects is known. For this project, the studios also worked with Karimoku, Japan's leading manufacturer of wooden furniture. Wood determines the palette of the home and from this came the idea to develop a furniture collection. This is how the Kinuta collection was born that was used in interiors. 
Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design unite Scandinavian and Japanese design traditions in Kinuta Terrace.
The designers used the existing architecture to frame both the outdoor and indoor living spaces and to open everything up so that the occupants are guided naturally from one room to another. For this they worked with transparency and a play of light and shadow. Light, soft, sober and natural are definitely key words in the design of the two units. ‘It became an environment where all the elements are as closely connected as possible,’ we hear from Norm Architects. Thanks to a balance between an industrial and natural look and feel, an airy, elegant atmosphere prevails. We see different patterns recurring. For example, the staircase, rails and wall panels reflect the pathways of the courtyard. This creates a soothing feeling that also returns with these patterns in the Kinuta furniture. Both in terms of choice of material and design language, the pieces refer to nature. In this way, the spaces also respond to the beautiful green courtyard as much as possible. You would almost forget that you are in busy Japan when you enter this serene retreat. 
Interiors: Norm Architects & Keiji Ashizawa Design
Photographer: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen