Ideareve Ikegami: A Harmonious Blend of Music and Architecture

Ryuichi Sasaki and Takayuki Yagi's Innovative Design Wins Silver A' Design Award

The inspiration behind Ideareve Ikegami is the unique location and the surrounding hilly landscape. The designers aimed to incorporate a mountainous topography effect into the geometrical volume of the building, creating a harmonious blend of natural beauty and architectural innovation. The design is a testament to the power of place and the potential of architecture to enhance and reflect its surroundings.

The building's unique properties lie in its multifunctionality. It serves as a community hub where residents can gather, study, and practice music in a variety of hybrid spaces. The reinforced concrete structure houses a music hall, practice rooms, soundproofed residential rental units, and a penthouse. The music hall and its auditorium occupy a strategic place, creating a circulation zone that blurs the lines between the external landscape and the creative vibe within.

The building is a reinforced concrete structure, with all rental residential units featuring soundproof living rooms. The foyer is embraced by three brass-coloured, stainless steel diagonal walls, and the interior of the hall is encased in acoustic reflectors, with large walls that collectively form an abstract diagonal shape. This innovative design approach ensures that residents can practice their music skills without worries for sound leakage, while also providing a visually stunning space for performances.

The project, which started in October 2017 and was completed in May 2021, faced the challenge of providing privacy while opening up music activities to the community in a historically and culturally significant location. This challenge was addressed by creating a circulation space that crosses both the interior and exterior, while also pursuing a building form that symbolizes musical rhythm.

Overall, Ideareve Ikegami is more than just a building. It's a hub of creativity and community, a space where musicians can thrive and grow. It's a testament to the power of music and the transformative potential of innovative design. And with its recent win at the A' Design Award, it's clear that this unique blend of music and architecture has struck a chord with the design community.