Super Kinuta: Architects Turn to Traditional Design

Super Kinuta Architects Turn to Traditional Design
The sleek "Super Kinuta" condominium complex in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward built of unadorned concrete features natural spaces and a hint of traditional Kyoto style.

When you enter through the automatic door of the building, designed by architect Satoko Shinohara, 46, you face a courtyard filled with bamboo swaying in the wind.

There are also walkways to the door of each unit, which she calls "passage parks," as they are built over the ground based on the style found in traditional houses in Kyoto.

"I wanted to promote communication among residents while keeping their privacy," said Shinohara, who is also an assistant professor at Japan Women's University.

Toyoko Kubota, 45, a housewife who moved into complex when it was completed last year said, "Although I cannot easily enter into a neighbor's house, I can enjoy a quiet conversation, which I could not have on the street, with a neighbor on the walkway."

Interior designer Akimasa Katsuno, 57, rented one of the units to use as an office, but then decided to move in with his wife and kids because he loved it so much.

He especially likes the room dividers that seamlessly slide back and forth. "Since moving into the house, we have redecorated the house three times in a year," he said. "It is very convenient to be able to lay out the house. The house can also be divide