L’amour was reduced in size and the counter was renewed. A new cobblestone path was built between the existing shop and the new shop, reminiscent of French cities. By building Kanowa and Kyou separately from L’amour, Kanowa and Kyou became a more distinctive building that expressed the concept of the new business.This is a renewal project for a pastry shop in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, which has been loved by the local community. Initially, the plan was to extend the existing pastry shop L’amour to create a space for a new cafe Kanowa and a bakery Kyou. However, Kanowa and Kyou were finally separated from L’amour and built as a new building.The interior of the new shop was illuminated in low light so that the sunshine can be felt through clerestory windows. The walls were plastered to create shadows.
Pastry shop and Cafe @ Maebashi, Gunma Design: Sunao Koase, Tomohiro Okada /SNARK Inc. Construction: Shibusawa Techno Construction Floor area: L’amour:43.8㎡, Kanowa /Kyou:53.08㎡ Completion: Dec.2020 Photo: Lo.cul.p
The renovation of a game meat cuisine restaurant in Minakami, Gunma. Here you can eat local vegetables and game meat, surrounded by a large counter and a fireplace. The space was designed to have an atmosphere a mountain lodge. We created a large opening to the terrace overlooking Mt. Tanigawa. The first floor is a place where the owner dresses animals he hunts in the mountains.
Game dishes restaurant @ Minakami, Gunma Design: Sunao Koase, Tomohiro Okada, Ayaka Seki /SNARK Inc. Construction: Fueki Construction Logo sign design: Maniackers Design Floor area： 44.5㎡ Completion: Nov.2020 Photo: Lo.cul.p
We chose materials and finishes that reflect the clients’ generous and peaceful atmosphere. By working together with the them and their friend, a local builder, we were able to create a house that exudes warmth.On a site facing a national forest in Tochigi Prefecture, we created a house to spend time with the nature under the condition that the building coverage ratio was 20% and that the building site had to be 5 meters away from the neighboring land.The client couple wanted a house that blends in with the surrounding forest and environment, a functional storage for their hobby tools, a comfortable living and dining room that projects the atmosphere of the cafe where the husband works, and a spacious space that is not divided into too many rooms.In the center of the house, we created an earthen floor that connects the front door to the back door. Across the earthen floor, the bedroom and the bathroom are located on the west side, and the living and dining room on the east side. The earthen floor space and the hobby room are adjacent to each other and can be used as one room. The clients who like skiing and climbing mountains will use the earthen floor for maintenance of those tools, chopping wood and gardening.
Residence @ Nasu Tochigi Design: Sunao Koase, Megumi Yamazaki /SNARK Inc. Construction： Mokuso inc. Total area： 118.81㎡ (1F/87.77㎡ 2F/31.04㎡) Site area： 938.93㎡ Completion: Nov.2020 Photo: Takehiro Goto
Roastery @ Maebashi, Gunma Design: Rei Oshima, Sunao Koase, Ayaka Seki, Kota Miya /SNARK Inc. Client: Ristretto Inc. Construction: Roccadia design and works Steel Product: gambit Total area: 41.00㎡ Completion: Nov.2020 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
This is a renovation of a second-hand apartment in Shinjuku, Tokyo. We created a space in the center of the house that can be accessed directly from each room, and set up a desk there for the whole family to use. A spacious entrance and private rooms that can be used in various ways, and walls made of pegboard are all elements that can be modified by the residents as they live in the house. The interior can be updated as the life stages change.
Residence ＠ Sendagaya, Tokyo Design: Rei Oshima, Mako Shimanuki /SNARK Inc. Consulting: ReBITA inc. Construction: Koushou Floor area: 98.61㎡ Completion: Nov.2020 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
A reconstruction of a historic sake brewery office. Navigating a constrained site with various limitations, the design utilizes the wooden SE frame system to maximize the narrow 3-meter frontage. The three-story structure is defined by floor-specific functions and bespoke furniture. The south facade serves as a minimalist backdrop for the Sugidama (ceremonial cedar ball), allowing its temporal evolution to become a quiet focal point of the architecture.
Office @ Tatebayashi, Gunma Design： Sunao Koase, Noriko Koba / SNARK Inc. Construction： Shibusawa Techno Construction Furnitures： KOKUYO Co.,Ltd., inter office ltd. Total area： 96.46㎡ Completion： Oct.2020 Photo： Ippei Shinzawa, Lo.cul.p
A renovation of a glass-clad condominium in the city center, where reflections of urban greenery permeate the interior. The project transformed the unit into an open studio by removing partition walls, opting instead for a layout subtly defined by spatial distance, shifting sightlines, and low-profile furniture. To foreground the client’s art collection, the design process began by stripping away redundant elements. Tactile materials like stone, wood, and metal were then introduced alongside products with subtle color to avoid a sterile, museum-like atmosphere. The goal was to create a space where art is lived with and enjoyed daily, achieving comfort through the seamless fusion of uniform architectural composition, product design, and artistic expression.
Residence @ Shibuya Tokyo Design: Rei Oshima /SNARK Inc. Project Management / Design Direction: Masayuki Sakurai, Yohei Yamaguchi /TRAIL HEADS Construction: Double Box Total area: 203.1㎡ Completion: Jul.2020 Photo: Tomooki Kengaku
Located in Shinto, Gunma, this residence sits on a site characterized by significant elevation changes enclosed by retaining walls. The design integrates an atmosphere inspired by the client’s passion for the mountains while orienting the building to frame views of Mt. Akagi. The interior layout centers on a combined storage and hobby room, with bedrooms and utility areas arranged around its perimeter. By introducing a floor level difference between the living-dining area and the hobby room, the plan secures clear sightlines toward the north, ensuring an unobstructed view of Mt. Akagi despite the site’s topography. Within this compact, one-story house, the central hobby space creates a three-dimensional continuity, utilizing shifting sightlines to unify the living environment. The design fosters a lifestyle where personal interests are felt throughout daily routines, supporting a modest yet rich existence attuned to the changing seasons and the client’s personal collection.
Residence @ Shinto, Gunma Design：Sunao Koase, Megumi Yamazaki /SNARK Inc. Construction： トージロー建築工匠 Landscape design, Construction： 楽松園 Total area： 82.39㎡ Site area： 357.45㎡ Completion： May.2020 Photo: Ippei Shinzawa
