kodai and associates Zürich. Our projects
kodai and associates perceive notional connections between spaces through site-specific conditions. Our philosophy is to calibrate requirements and our found readings into timeless and unique spaces.
We work on schemes with concepts backed by choices of materials, the composition of spaces and indoor-outdoor relationships to strengthen the experience. Our East-West cultural roots, with past experiences in art, architecture, and landscape & garden, contribute to creating a borderless environment.
We engage the project from a room with a garden, interior architecture, a house, cultural and commercial buildings, and gardens. We closely work with the commissioner and reaching out from Zurich worldwide.
KOHTEI | Shinshoji Zen Museum and Gardens
::: zen temple pavilion :::
As a director of Architecture in SANDWICH Inc. (Kohei Nawa, Yuichi Kodai, Yoshitaka Lee)
Zen temple pavilion that houses the meditation space within the roof. The garden is a space to contemplate the emotions and mindfulness of art installation. Zen-Tempel-Pavillon, der den Meditationsraum auf dem Dach beherbergt. Der Garten ist ein Ort der Kontemplation über die Emotionen und die Achtsamkeit der Kunstinstallation.
Zen temple pavilion that houses the meditation space within the roof. The garden is a space to contemplate the emotions and mindfulness of art installation. Zen-Tempel-Pavillon, der den Meditationsraum auf dem Dach beherbergt. Der Garten ist ein Ort der Kontemplation über die Emotionen und die Achtsamkeit der Kunstinstallation.
Zen temple pavilion that houses the meditation space within the roof. The garden is a space to contemplate the emotions and mindfulness of art installation. Zen-Tempel-Pavillon, der den Meditationsraum auf dem Dach beherbergt. Der Garten ist ein Ort der Kontemplation über die Emotionen und die Achtsamkeit der Kunstinstallation.
Zen temple pavilion that houses the meditation space within the roof. The garden is a space to contemplate the emotions and mindfulness of art installation. Zen-Tempel-Pavillon, der den Meditationsraum auf dem Dach beherbergt. Der Garten ist ein Ort der Kontemplation über die Emotionen und die Achtsamkeit der Kunstinstallation.
Photo: Nobutada Omote
Zen temple art pavilion for meditation. The installation located within the roof portrays your garden in your mind whereas the outdoor garden makes you realise the physical reality.
CHALET RESIDENCE | Crans Montana, Switzerland
::: interior experience :::
The dining room with a dining table is in the centre of the niche. The soft wood surrounds the space with a Japanese-style wood screen. The screen works as a lantern in the living room. Esszimmer mit einem japanischen Holzschirm und einer Holzwand. In der Mitte der Nische befindet sich das Esszimmer mit einem Esstisch. Das weiche Holz umgibt den Raum mit einem Holzschirm im japanischen Stil. Der Paravent fungiert als Laterne im Wohnzimmer.
The design looks at the direction of the daylight. The mountain's high altitude creates an opportunity for unique environmental conditions. Der Entwurf orientiert sich an der Richtung des Tageslichts. Die große Höhe des Berges bietet die Möglichkeit, einzigartige Umweltbedingungen zu schaffen.
The dining room with a dining table is in the centre of the niche. The soft wood surrounds the space with a Japanese-style wood screen. The screen works as a lantern in the living room. Esszimmer mit einem japanischen Holzschirm und einer Holzwand. In der Mitte der Nische befindet sich das Esszimmer mit einem Esstisch. Das weiche Holz umgibt den Raum mit einem Holzschirm im japanischen Stil. Der Paravent fungiert als Laterne im Wohnzimmer.
Photo: Yuichi Kodai
Renovation of an apartment in a swiss mountain chalet. The scheme intended to create distinct living experiences for the night and day. The warmth of wood wraps the space.
- work in progress -
TANGO HOTEL | Kyoto, Japan
::: hospitality experience :::
A hotel to accommodate long-stay visitors in the nature and culture-rich region in the peninsula of Kyoto prefecture. The beauty of local village life enriches the hospitality experience with vast rice fields, forests, and thatch-roofed Minka houses. The interaction with the local community is an active part of the local experience to take home.
A hotel to accommodate long-stay visitors in the nature and culture-rich region in the peninsula of Kyoto prefecture. The beauty of local village life enriches the hospitality experience with vast rice fields, forests, and thatch-roofed Minka houses. The interaction with the local community is an active part of the local experience to take home.
A hotel to accommodate long-stay visitors in the nature and culture-rich region in the peninsula of Kyoto prefecture. The beauty of local village life enriches the hospitality experience with vast rice fields, forests, and thatch-roofed Minka houses. The interaction with the local community is an active part of the local experience to take home.
A hotel to accommodate long-stay visitors in the nature and culture-rich region in the peninsula of Kyoto prefecture. The beauty of local village life enriches the hospitality experience with vast rice fields, forests, and thatch-roofed Minka houses. The interaction with the local community is an active part of the local experience to take home.
in partnership with Placecraft Ten
A hotel to accommodate long-stay visitors in the nature and culture-rich region in the peninsula of Kyoto prefecture. The beauty of local village life enriches the hospitality experience with vast rice fields, forests, and thatch-roofed Minka houses. The interaction with the local community is an active part of the local experience to take home.
- work in progress -
AKATSUKI HOUSE | Zürich, Switzerland
::: interior & garden :::
A renovation project of a house with a view of lake Zurich. Located in Staefa. The design consists of a contemporary Japanese garden with a new bathroom with wood that reminds of a Japanese bathroom. The bathtub is Hinoki. Ein Renovierungsprojekt eines Hauses mit Blick auf den Zürichsee. Es befindet sich in Stäfa. Das Design besteht aus einem zeitgenössischen japanischen Garten mit einem neuen Badezimmer mit Holz, das an ein japanisches Badezimmer erinnert. Die Badewanne ist aus Hinoki.
A renovation project of a house with a view of lake Zurich. Located in Staefa. The design consists of a contemporary Japanese garden with a new bathroom with wood that reminds of a Japanese bathroom. The bathtub is Hinoki. Ein Renovierungsprojekt eines Hauses mit Blick auf den Zürichsee. Es befindet sich in Stäfa. Das Design besteht aus einem zeitgenössischen japanischen Garten mit einem neuen Badezimmer mit Holz, das an ein japanisches Badezimmer erinnert. Die Badewanne ist aus Hinoki.
A renovation project of a house with a view of lake Zurich. Located in Staefa. The design consists of a contemporary Japanese garden with a new bathroom with wood that reminds of a Japanese bathroom. The bathtub is Hinoki. Ein Renovierungsprojekt eines Hauses mit Blick auf den Zürichsee. Es befindet sich in Stäfa. Das Design besteht aus einem zeitgenössischen japanischen Garten mit einem neuen Badezimmer mit Holz, das an ein japanisches Badezimmer erinnert. Die Badewanne ist aus Hinoki.
A renovation project of a house with a view of lake Zurich. Located in Staefa. The design consists of a contemporary Japanese garden with a new bathroom with wood that reminds of a Japanese bathroom. The bathtub is Hinoki. Ein Renovierungsprojekt eines Hauses mit Blick auf den Zürichsee. Es befindet sich in Stäfa. Das Design besteht aus einem zeitgenössischen japanischen Garten mit einem neuen Badezimmer mit Holz, das an ein japanisches Badezimmer erinnert. Die Badewanne ist aus Hinoki.
Photo: Yuichi Kodai
A project to calibrate the ambience of the living experience in a concrete home. The intervention to soften the echo helps your mind to engage with the lake, mountain and city view through a newly curated terrace garden. The newly fitted-out bathroom induces a special moment of the day.
- work in progress -
CHALK GARDEN | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
::: english-japanese garden :::
commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, to create the "Chalk Garden" The garden is located in the North Octagon block, Kew's Temperate House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1862. The garden was designed to fuse Japanese and English horticulture. English Japanese Garden.
commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, to create the "Chalk Garden" The garden is located in the North Octagon block, Kew's Temperate House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1862. The garden was designed to fuse Japanese and English horticulture. English Japanese Garden.
commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, to create the "Chalk Garden" The garden is located in the North Octagon block, Kew's Temperate House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1862. The garden was designed to fuse Japanese and English horticulture. English Japanese Garden.
commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, to create the "Chalk Garden" The garden is located in the North Octagon block, Kew's Temperate House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1862. The garden was designed to fuse Japanese and English horticulture. English Japanese Garden.
Photo: Georgia Rothman
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, commissioned us to install the Japanese-English garden in their Grade II listed building, Temperate House. The scheme fuses the two nations' distinctive garden cultures.
BAMBOO WAVE STAGE | County Hall Arts, London
::: temporary concert stage pavilion :::
A Temporary bamboo art stage designed for a concert performance for the UK National Health Service (NHS) by classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham. The design seeks use of sustainable material, bamboo. Eine temporäre Bambus-Kunstbühne, die von der klassischen Gitarristin Alexandra Whittingham für ein Konzert für den britischen National Health Service (NHS) entworfen wurde. Der Entwurf sieht die Verwendung des nachhaltigen Materials Bambus vor. River Thames, Bamboo, Strings
A Temporary bamboo art stage designed for a concert performance for the UK National Health Service (NHS) by classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham. The design seeks use of sustainable material, bamboo. Eine temporäre Bambus-Kunstbühne, die von der klassischen Gitarristin Alexandra Whittingham für ein Konzert für den britischen National Health Service (NHS) entworfen wurde. Der Entwurf sieht die Verwendung des nachhaltigen Materials Bambus vor. River Thames, Bamboo, Strings
A Temporary bamboo art stage designed for a concert performance for the UK National Health Service (NHS) by classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham. The design seeks use of sustainable material, bamboo. Eine temporäre Bambus-Kunstbühne, die von der klassischen Gitarristin Alexandra Whittingham für ein Konzert für den britischen National Health Service (NHS) entworfen wurde. Der Entwurf sieht die Verwendung des nachhaltigen Materials Bambus vor. River Thames, Bamboo, Strings
A Temporary bamboo art stage designed for a concert performance for the UK National Health Service (NHS) by classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham. The design seeks use of sustainable material, bamboo. Eine temporäre Bambus-Kunstbühne, die von der klassischen Gitarristin Alexandra Whittingham für ein Konzert für den britischen National Health Service (NHS) entworfen wurde. Der Entwurf sieht die Verwendung des nachhaltigen Materials Bambus vor. River Thames, Bamboo, Strings
Photo: Yuichi Kodai
A guitar concert stage for leading British classic guitarist, Alexandra Whittingham. The stage design was conceived to embrace the guitarist through strings and bamboo by the river Thames.