Elements of Nature in HAERA Restrooms

A Space to Experience Four Elements Themed on "The Origins of All Things"

In "HAERA," the commercial area within the large-scale complex building "The Landmark Nagoya Sakae," we designed the public restrooms as a special environment that seamlessly connects a narrative from the public corridors under the theme of "The Origins of All Things." By allowing materials and lighting to "seep" outward, we dissolved spatial boundaries. The incorporation of front gardens and courtyard gardens (tsuboniwa) creates a rich experiential value detached from the everyday.

Each floor is expressed through the following four elements:

2nd Floor: "Thunder"

Expressing the pulsation of a beautiful brilliance. A continuous interplay of gold and white light melts the boundaries, staging a condensation of energy. Forms symbolizing earth, fire, and water iterate and expand within the courtyard garden, eventually emerging into the front garden.

Basement 1st Floor: "Cave"

Themed on the origins of art and spirituality, featuring both a front and courtyard garden. Through solids that fuse nature and artifice, along with the continuity and reflection of grids derived from crystallization and stratification, the space softly welcomes visitors.

4th Floor: "Space (Universe)"

Twinkling stars, gates of light, and paired artworks express a world akin to a parallel universe. Gentle lights glow like planets beyond the Big Bang, creating a space where one loses track of time.

Basement 2nd Floor: "Water"

A gently inviting space with lights evoking bubbles shimmering underwater and a rhythm of pale blue and white. The art in the men's restroom recalls water ripples, offering a refreshing escape within a cool and serene atmosphere.

Through visual continuity, each area is elevated into a space that resonates with the senses, transcending mere functionality.