Bright white clinic by Ryutaro Matsuura with concealed windows and patios

This combined dental clinic and beauty salon in Takashima, Japan, by Osaka designer Ryutaro Matsuura features a plain white facade that conceals windows and patios behind perforated metal screens (+ slideshow).

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Ryutaro Matsuura designed the two storey building to accommodate the White Essence Takashima dental surgery on its lower level, while the first floor houses Salon de M, a beauty clinic offering non-surgical procedures such as hair removal and slimming treatments.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

To break down the scale of the building, the volume was conceived as a cluster of four structures surrounding a central courtyard. “We thought of making four small buildings and uniting them like a ring,” said the architect.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Treatment rooms and reception areas are contained within the four perimeter blocks, while the space between becomes a double-height atrium with a glass ceiling, used as a patient waiting room by both businesses.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Windows line the perimeter of the dentist’s treatment rooms but are fronted by “buffer zones” comprising enclosed double-height patios. Perforated metal screens are positioned in front to allow daylight to enter without compromising privacy for patients.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

“This made cozy treatment spaces with soft daylight and patients’ privacy,” said Matsuura.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

A mixture of square and rectangular windows perforate the walls of the beauty clinic, creating views both into the courtyard and out to the external patios.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Each of the four blocks has a mono-pitched roof designed to allow snow to fall away during the winter season.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

A low concrete wall surrounds the site and integrates benches that Matsuura hopes will encourage activity around the building.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

“We hope that this building will endear itself to the town’s people and be nurtured by them as a new landmark of the town,” he added.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Photography is by Nacasa & Partners.

Here’s a project description from Ryutaro Matsuura:


White Essence Takashima and Salon de M

We planned to build a facility comprised of the aesthetic dental clinic “White Essence Takashima” on the first floor and the aesthetic salon “Salon de M” on the second floor, which is owned by one dentist and located in a residential area of the northwestern part of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. What the client requested to us was “The building can give neighbourhood a sense of affinity and good impressions as a symbolic object in the town”.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

We thought that putting together the necessary functions into one square-shaped ‘box’ should be avoided because the town’s people would not heart such a dominating building. So, we thought of making four small buildings and uniting them like a ring.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

We also gave them shed roofs in order to slide the accumulated snow off the surface considering their heavy winter snowfalls. That is how we created a community-friendly shape bundling the slanted roofed boxes which are snuggling up to each other.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

In regard to the interior space, we made the space enclosed by four buildings into a void space with a top light. It was turned into a comfortable place with varied natural light. We fixed perforated metal screens on the outside of the windows of the first floor treatment rooms to set up buffer spaces bridging the inside and the outside. This made the cozy treatment spaces with soft daylight and patients’ privacy.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

The fence around the premises is punctuated by partial 350 mm setbacks that can be used as benches by any pedestrians. This design should alleviate a sense of rejection.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

We hope that this building will endear itself to the town’s people and be nurtured by them as a new landmark of the town.

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Project name: White Essence Takashima, Salon de M
Use: aesthetic dental clinic (1F), aesthetic salon (2F)
Location: Shin’asahi-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura

Site area: 1536.76 square metres
Floor area: 364.87 square metres
Date of competition: November, 2013
Client: Uehara Dental Clinic
Design: Ryutaro Matsuura

White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
Site plan – click for larger image
White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
First floor plan – click for larger image
White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
Section one – click for larger image
White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
Section two – click for larger image
White Essence Takashima and Salon de M by Ryutaro Matsuura
Elevation – click for larger image

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