AKIKO KASAHARA      
         
   
     

I designed the apartment like an urn. I wanted the space to be very private, quiet and solemn existing only for the inhabitant. I thought an urn represents this concept in a most appropriate way.
I wanted the apartment to have two separate spaces, one for body (eating, working and bathing) and one for spirit (thinking, reading and sleeping).

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Space for sleep - People go back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness while they sleep. I think this time gives us various things.
Space for reading - Books give us a lot of knowledge, and improve our imagination.
Space for thinking - We have lots of things which have to think about, for example, work, study, etc. This space will help us concentrate.
Stairs - They connect the 1st floor and 2nd floor to connect body and spirit in this design. I think the stairs represent a human being because human beings are made up of body and spirit.