At his studio in south-east London, architect Takero Shimazaki talks through his sensitive approach to architecture

Words Billie Brand
Film Edmund Cook
Photography Elliot Sheppard

Over the past few weeks, The Modern House and Toast have thoroughly enjoyed bringing you Modern Pioneers: our collaborative series that explores the work of four independent makers and designers across the country. Each captured in their studios, they’ve been wearing hand-picked pieces from the lifestyle brand’s latest collection. In the fourth and final edition, we visit Takero Shimazaki, architect and founder of t-sa, at his practice in Elephant and Castle, where we discover the sensitive ways in which he approaches each project – no matter how they differ in size or style.

Takero isn’t interested in what’s new. The Japan-born, London-based architect is, in fact, more intrigued by what’s already there. At t-sa, which he launched more than 25 years ago, Takero and his team strive to breathe new life into existing spaces through thoughtful conversions, while keeping the palette to a minimum. And yet Takero’s use of raw, atmospheric materials is one of the first things to strike you about his diverse archive of work, which we had the pleasure of learning about at his practice. The walls here may be covered with drawings, the shelves brimming with books and surfaces littered with architectural models and samples, but the space feels as calm as it does characterful – just like the architect himself, in fact.

Takero: “My grandfather was an architect and, growing up, I would speak to him a lot about buildings. When I was about 10 years old, my parents and grandfather decided to build a house for our family. I remember being on the construction site, standing in the middle of a timber skeleton, watching them lean over a drawing board to discuss where the living room would be and feeling this enormous excitement. That was my first experience of architecture.

“For me, it’s always been about doing something one-off. But as a practice, we don’t necessarily start a project thinking about doing something new, as the notion of continuity is very important to us. We’re interested in working with what’s already out there: what existing buildings we can find and the challenge of doing as little to them as possible. It sounds strange for an architect to say this, but we task ourselves with making the maximum impact by doing the minimum. Put another way, we ask ourselves how we can transform a place without overly applying new things.

“Most of our briefs involve buildings that need converting or updating. We are a small atelier, but deliver different designs to private and public clients. Over the years, our work has been really varied – from healthcare projects and a theatre to a community centre and residential housing. We don’t repeat in one sector – what unites our projects is that they all have design scope.

“I look forward to creating a dialogue with our clients and discovering their specific needs, but I ask that our ideas and ethos match. Architecture is collaborative – it’s not just about me – and the process from initial design to completion can be very long. If our design aspirations don’t align, it’s not going to be easy. Communication, in fact, is as important as the architecture.

“Initially, our team and client will share references. Ours tend to vary a lot, from architects we like to specific buildings, but at the same time, we like to be open to different ideas. What’s particularly fascinating is how, as architects, we implant ideas and the client then carries them forward. It’s powerful when architecture keeps evolving like that.

“Naturally, I’m drawn to materials with texture and atmospheric qualities, but we try not to be too indulgent with new resources. We talk a lot about sustainable materials and what is actually necessary. We like to create character out of simple things, like plywood or stone. We don’t set ourselves a palette from the outset. Instead, we let the project develop with what we already have access to and what’s suitable. And if we can bring poetics into it, that’s great.

 

 

“I love doing the architectural drawings myself. It’s almost a luxury to find the time, say three or four hours a day, to draw. I find it enjoyable to really develop ideas and think about things through drawing. When I can, I block out 5 to 7 pm for drawing. I also believe that architectural models should be made by the people designing, rather than a specialist, and that they should be used as thinking tools too.

“I never find it hard to let go of a finished project. Once it’s ready for use, it should be used. It’s a pleasure when a building we’ve worked on starts to become part of the world.

“I teach architecture too, and every year my students and I discuss a different architectural language. Teaching is essential for me to carry on practicing. It’s a good space to explore new thoughts and ideas. Especially now, with the scarcity of materials and resources, we need to come up with a method that deals with the issues we face – that might be the idea of reusing, or with what’s there, surveying what we see – and teaching provides that stimulating conversation. I actually teach alongside ex-students who now work with me here. I think that cycle is fantastic.”

 

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