The second venue of the capsule hotel chain ºC is situated at the center of a red-light district next to the east exit of Gotanda Station.

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ArchitectJo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects
Location: 1-20-15 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Completion: April 2018
Floors: 8
Site area: 127.44 m2
Building area: 108.80 m2
Total floor area: 891.57 m2
Architecture team: Ryosuke Yamamoto
Furniture team: Ou Ueno
Construction: ZYCC CORPORATION, Thermarivm Co., Ltd., OKAMURA CORPORATION, BPA Co.,Ltd., KOTOBUKI SEATING CO.,LTD., MIZUNO SEITOEN Co.,Ltd.
Collaboration: Hiromura Design Office, Design Studio S
Photography: Nacasa & Partners Inc.

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

From the architect: The building we renovated was formerly a capsule hotel owned by a different company, and we kept the existing capsule units as they are in the renovation. This capsule hotel is for male customers only, considering the customer base in this district. A first-time customer may feel a bit uneasy when looking for the hotel in this rather vulgar neighborhood. He may feel relieved to find the hotel on the corner at a crossing but may feel uneasy again when he enters the building–– has the building work finished yet?!

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

In this project, spaces were created by stripping down the building to a bare minimum. The former public bath in the basement was renovated into a sauna and shower room. The post-demolition condition of the interior was unique: it was somewhat like a cave with projected and recessed parts and dead-ends.

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

We reimagined the existing structure as a cave and observed each existing form to find the most appropriate use for each space. A narrow and long space with a high ceiling was converted into a sauna with a stepped floor where one can enjoy different heat intensities according to the floor height. “Warm pillar“ (manufactured by TOTO) were installed on walls surrounding a small enclosed cave-like space (which we assumed to be a former toilet) where customers can enjoy strong waterjet streams.

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

Guestrooms were basically kept as they were, while the existing wallpaper was removed and newly constructed walls were left unfinished to create a contrast between the existing capsule units and the bare interior and refresh the outdated impression of the Showa period-style capsule hotel.

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

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ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

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ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

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ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

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ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

ºC (Do-C) Gotanda by Schemata Architects

The second venue of the capsule hotel chain ºC is situated at the center of a red-light district next to the east exit of Gotanda Station

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