The most beautiful things in life are often created from the right ingredients and chemistry

Azabu Residence is a direct reflection of this, culminated from the meeting of the minds between Japanese furniture brand Karimoku Case Study, Norm Architects and Keiki Ashizawa Design. The latest additions to the collection of fine wooden furniture pieces are created as part of this complete renovation project and have its native setting in a luxury apartment built in 1988, tucked away in the quiet Nishi-Azabu residential district of Tokyo. Built on a spacious, airy plot, rarely seen in Tokyo today, the greenery surrounding the entrance of the apartment has been meticulously maintained by gardeners, welcoming visitors harmoniously to establish a sense of calm and connection to nature in the middle of the city.

This residence combines Japanese and Scandinavian design principles and aesthetics. A shared belief in the use of natural materials and a muted color palette lies as the foundation of the project, characterized by the focus on tactile, soft-minimal and timeless qualities. As well, this project is completed in muted, dark tones enhancing and embracing the intimacy of shadows. Spacious but dimly lit, it’s a cozy, human-centric and protective dwelling away from the noise of the city. As well, it’s a calm and embracing interior for contemplation and private family life. Says Keiji Ashizawa, “regardless of the dark tones used to unify the space, the beauty of this home stands out in the morning and early afternoon, with the contrast of direct sunlight peeking into the space, and at night, when the ambiance of the space is created by an elaborate artificial light scheme.”

Azabu Residence was designed shortly after a trip to the Americas and the inspiration of mid-century American and Brazilian modernism is evident in use of warm, dark, natural materials and wooden wall panelling, lush carpets and tactile upholstery, which in effect translated into a new and dark version of a Japanese-Scandinavian interior. Frederik Werner of Norm Architects elaborates, “with the use of stone, dark wood and textured textiles, the interior plays on inspiration from mid-century American Modernism. The living areas with a small bar niche, the open plan kitchen, and bulky comfortable furniture draws inspiration from an array of elements – from the Japanese inspired Schindler House in Los Angles to the extravagant New York apartments featured in the series Mad Men.” Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects further explains, “another main narrative in the interior design is inspired by the well-known Japanese book by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows, that was recommended to us by Keiji Ashizawa on one of our first field trips in Japan. In Scandinavia we often work with bright white walls to enhance daylight, but through the writings of Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, we understood the value of dark, dim places and chose to celebrate and enhance the nature of the site, which resulted in a dark monochrome material palette.”