Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Railings & Stairs
This project was a good example of a house where the glass handrail was matched to create an impression on the exterior of the house. Glass handrails are favoured because they are excellent both in terms of design and functionality, but they are also quite difficult to handle. In addition to their design significance, they are also the expression of the house itself, so the durability of the frames that hold the glass in place is an item that requires a great deal of attention to quality. In this case, the strength of the joints was key, as was the length of the frame, and we also had to ensure that the frame was not damaged or scratched during transportation, so we had to focus on quality in unseen areas. In terms of the property as a whole, we also manufactured the staircases and rooftop railings, so we made sure to check the internal flow of materials as they were delivered in and out of the building.
Brush up on in-plant management
There is no “perfection” in updating the flow in a factory. It is a process that is constantly being updated in a fluid manner. This is partly due to the fact that AICHI METALS is a processing company. This is because no two orders are ever the same. Even if the shape is the same, the ideas will have changed due to knowledge gained from a project we worked on a while ago. This makes our ideas richer and allows us to realise them more quickly and with higher quality than before. The countless projects we have worked on in the lead up to this one are a constant evolution of our workflow itself. Converting this benefit into quality and delivering it to our customers must also be part of our daily routine. How much sweat we put in behind the scenes of the finished house. And how much can we evolve? These are the memories and reminders that come to mind when looking at the components of the houses we have worked on.
Carefully finished by human hands
Our factory is not a state-of-the-art facility with a lot of state-of-the-art equipment. In fact, to the casual observer, it may seem a strange mix of old machines. This is because we understand that, in the end, it is the human eye and hand finishing that is most important in meeting a variety of shapes, colours and finishes. Of course, the beautiful standardised products produced by advanced machines are wonderful. However, we believe that it is people who can carefully respond to unique ideas. For this reason, we are a group of craftsmen and have an environment where craftsmen can hone their skills. We also have equipment that focuses on the unique feel of the “tools” used by our craftsmen, whether they are cutting-edge or old. Often, we search for and discover the taste that can only be produced by old machines, which are on the verge of disappearing in modern times. Of course, there is no greater joy than discovering this machine as a tool. Every project we work on is filled with human enthusiasm. Although our deliverables are just a component of architecture, we hope that you will see them as such.
