Tokonoma WK

Frankfurt- Germany

Dialogue between house and garden

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The property is located in a residential area in the outskirts of Frankfurt.

The project includes the renovation of the terrace, imagined as the link between the house and the garden, to make it more enjoyable and confortable. Another important aspect of the project is to display the customer's bonsai.

The idea is to create an outdoor reinterpretation of the traditional Tokonoma, the welcome niche of the Japanese homes.

The work consists in replacing the damaged flooring of the terrace, redesigning the balustrade and integrating new steps into the existing staircase located  on a corner of the terrace.

The new balustrade built in COR-TEN is made of a set of vertical plates, of various widths and heights, arranged to create a musical visual rythm.

The bonsai are arranged on a series of shelves and tables, sized according to the client's collection. In order to make the plants visible from every angle they are positioned in front of the living room windows that look onto the terrace.

A COR-TEN frame, purposely designed to house the main piece of the bonsai collection will be located in front of the french window.

The additional steps improve the connection from the house to the garden, while moving the visual axis from the perimeter fence to the new water feature.

The new staricase is divided into multiple directions so as to make the spatial continuity between the house and the garden more perceivable. The alternation of treads made of grass, gravel and COR-TEN creates a less monotonous staircase.

The terrace is completed with furniture designed following the septa and plans system used for the balustrade. The stools are designed to be placed one under the other. A long bench below the window sill is made up of a series of wooden reactangular chests on wheels which can be used as containers and seating.

The woodshed has been designed so it can also be used to store garden tools and screen the garbage bins.

New pedestrain gates to access the house and garden have been included in the project.