Kafka on the Shore
海辺のカフカ
Takamatsu, Japan
Drawing inspiration from elements of the book and my own imagination, this project was an interpretation of a traditional Japanese home that evolved over decades—from a simple storage barn to a guest house for traveling artists, and eventually a library where much of the story unfolds.
My goal was not to create a literal representation of the text, but to give form to the vision in my mind. The design was informed by my professional experience and research into Japanese architecture and joinery, culminating in a scaled model. From this model, I staged a series of collage scenes to capture the space’s mood. The model was designed with notched pieces, a reference to traditional Japanese construction methods, while also allowing for easy disassembly and efficient storage.
“The building itself dated from the early Meiji period, when it was built to serve a double function as the family library and guest house. In the Taisho period it was completely renovated as a two-storey building with the addition of magnificent guest rooms for visiting writers and artists.” (51)
When he built this library, the head of the family decided not to follow the simple and elegant style favoured by artists in Kyoto, instead choosing a design more like a rustic dwelling...a vaulted ceiling sooring over the staircase...a spacious hall that in the past was lined with tatami...Now the floor is plain wood and the walls covered with framed calligraphy, hanging scrolls and Japanese style paintings. (52)
“Magnificent thick beams run across the ceiling of the room, and soft early-summer sunlight is shining through the open window, the chatter of birds in the garden filtering in.” (46)
