Paco

Paco is a box of 3m x 3m x 3m cube, with a “lid” on top that opens to a certain angle. It is something between architecture and furniture; too small for architecture, but too big for furniture. It is just big enough for a person to get in and use as a secret hideout. This was originally the largest product we managed to construct at Happa, intended to function as the smallest architecture where a person would be able to live.

Through this project, I learned that even a small piece of architecture like this needs access to basic infrastructure services like other buildings, and conceived an idea of building a small infra-free architecture like this.

project: PACO
architect: Jo Nagasaka/Schemata Architects
project team: Daisuke Motogi
location 1st site: HAPPA / Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
location 2nd site: Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
usage: cafe
construction: Roovice
collaboration: Shuhei Nakamura(paint)/Izumi Okayasu(lighting)/E&Y(furniture)/Mihoko Mori(design)
structure: wood
number of floors: 1
total floor area: 9 sqm
completion: 2009
text by Jo Nagasaka/Schemata Architects
photos by Takumi Ota