Tokyo, Japan
Node Hikifune is a community center in Sumida, Tokyo. The first floor of a warehouse with a plaza in front was renovated to create a café and co-working space. Waterways have been important to the area around the site since the Edo period. Today, with the land transformed by urbanization, the river remains important to the community. In reference to the Hikifune River, a series of slabs surrounds the interior and exterior of the building. The tops of the slabs can serve as benches, desks, and counters, supporting a variety of activities. The uneven ground was left as it is and painted to straddle the indoor and outdoor areas. The wall facing the plaza was partially removed and an opening 10 meters wide and 2.6 meters high was created to allow for continuity between the indoor space and the plaza outside.
