Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Private Residence Gates
Japanese modernism has a close relationship with minimalism. In particular, the objects created by Sen no Rikyu were minimalist in form, with minimal waste reduced to the bare essentials by making the most of the characteristics of the materials themselves. The spirit of this is alive and well in iron, glaze, bamboo, lacquer, wood and even in the tea room, and we believe it is connected to modernism in contemporary Japan. On the other hand, Western civilisation, which originated in Europe, has produced countless styles such as Gothic, Baroque and Rococo, but has inherited the same flamboyant and dignified characteristics, which can be clearly seen in the cityscapes of Paris and London. Against this backdrop, modernism in the contemporary Japanese style has been refined in the architectural field, with a minimalist approach to design in materials such as concrete and steel. AICHI METAL’s products also inherit this trend, pursuing how to create dignity in a simple steel form. At the same time, we are particular about the treatment of the joint surfaces and screw fastening parts.
Between the architect’s intentions and what can be done
Nevertheless, we are of course not in a position to make decisions on the overall architecture, as we are a business that builds the components, and we rarely speak directly with the client. Therefore, we are there to understand and realise the intentions of the constructing company or architect. In these conversations, if we are just a processing team, it will still be difficult to realise their intentions. For example, in the area of coatings, we have done a lot of research and development and as a result we have mastered the technology to make coatings more beautiful and more durable. In the construction industry, paint treatment is considered to be limited in terms of design, as strength is given priority. However, we have mastered the entire methodology and equipment before introducing it to our company, as we have noticed that car paint is beautiful for many years with absolutely no change in durability. In addition to this, we have also realised various ideas and transformed them into know-how with the help of the wisdom of society.
All visible
After all, there is nothing “invisible” in our work. In this project, we are also working on the interior staircase, which is a very clear example. Basically, the backside of a staircase is never seen. However, the more you create a particular space, the more the presence of the staircase is also a part of the outfit itself. Therefore, steel and wood are combined to incorporate a light but well-designed intention. Then, of course, the back of the staircase is where the eye can see it. Wood will be visible on the front and iron on the back. How should the welded surfaces be considered at this point? What is the intention of the space? As a staircase, strength and durability are a must and essential. All of this must be understood and realised. This is the ideal of AICHI METAL. Of course, it is not easy. Nevertheless, we believe that this is an essential corporate attitude if we are to be chosen as someone’s ‘partner’ and not just a processing company.
