Symbolplus Office, Tokyo, Japan interior

Symbolplus Office Tokyo building design news, Modern Japanese primary school architecture images

20 January 2026

Architect: SYMBOLPLUS INC.

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Photos: Keishin Horikoshi

Symbolplus Office, Japan

SYMBOLPLUS OFFICE is located in a timber building owned by architect Akio Hayashi, whose long-standing advocacy for natural materials became the starting point of the renovation. The brief was clear: avoid synthetic materials and work with what already existed. Rather than pursuing visual impact, the project focuses on continuity―between architecture, material, and time.

The design preserves the original timber structure as much as possible. New elements follow the building’s rhythm, proportions, and warmth, allowing old and new to coexist without contrast. The office becomes a place where work unfolds quietly, shaped by its architectural context rather than imposed upon it.

Material as memory
Material choices reinforce this attitude. Red earth sourced from Ishikawa was applied in layered plaster by artisans, its tone carefully adjusted to resonate with the timber structure. Shoji partitions were made from reclaimed Tosa washi originally intended for disposal. As the paper was too thin for architectural use, it was layered to achieve durability and translucency.

These shoji serve as flexible partitions, allowing the space to shift between openness and privacy. In meeting areas, they conceal shelving and equipment when needed, maintaining visual calm without erasing function.

Adaptability through restraint
Innovation appears through restraint. Shoji panels slide without metal fittings, relying on traditional carpentry techniques. Rotating ceiling panels reveal lighting only when required, reducing visual noise. These details are not nostalgic gestures, but rather practical systems that allow the office to adapt over time.

Rather than over-designing, the project accepts change as part of architecture. The space evolves through use, light, and daily occupation―remaining open to the future while grounded in its past.

An office as a vessel
SYMBOLPLUS OFFICE is not conceived as a showcase, but as a working environment shaped by values―longevity, reuse, and humility toward existing architecture. By building upon what was already there, the project demonstrates how modest interventions can extend the life of architecture while remaining socially and environmentally responsible.

Symbolplus Office Tokyo Building – Building Information

Design Firm: SYMBOLPLUS INC. – https://symbol-plus.com/index.html
Project Name: SYMBOLPLUS OFFICE

Client: SYMBOLPLUS
Location: #2F 5-16-9 Shimoigusa, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan
Building Type: Office renovation (timber structure)
Total Area: 76.3sqm

Design Team:
Satoshi Nobekawa, Co-founder and Designer
Sho Watanabe, Co-founder and Designer
Construction: SET UP CO.,LTD.
Lighting Planner: Filaments Inc.
FF&E Constructor: mirai sousaku-jo co.,ltd.
Plasterer: SAKAN TKURA | Tatsuya Tokura
Japanese Wallpaper Supplier: Wajue Inc.
Glass Supplier: Chunichi Stained Art Co.,Ltd.
Stone Supplier: Matsushita Sangyo Co.,Ltd.
Wood Supplier: Yasuta Veneered Surfaces&Design

Carpet Supplier: Sangetsu Corporation
Project Completion: July 2024

About SYMBOLPLUS
SYMBOLPLUS INC. is a Tokyo-based design practice working across architecture, interiors, and spatial strategy. The studio focuses on projects that value context, material honesty, and long-term relevance. Rather than following trends, SYMBOLPLUS approaches design as a continuous inquiry into what endures—culturally, socially, and materially.

SYMBOLPLUS has received multiple international design awards, including top honors from the Dezeen Awards, Architecture Master Prize, FRAME Awards, and INTERIOR DESIGN’s Best of Year Awards.