The gold prize winner in this year’s JCD (Japanese Commercial Environment Designers Association) design awards for ‘communication design in the commercial environment’, Ben Nagaoka’s Yamakoya is a great example of creating space within a space.

Yamakoya, which means ‘wood-log cabin’ in Japanese, is a structure designed specifically for private research focusing on local history within the Ina-Higashi Elementary School library in Japan. Built into the corner of the library, it comprises of open shelving, storage space, a 4-person table for group work and smaller private areas designated for individual study.

The design achieves great balance between its interior space and the exterior around it. Being inside you don’t feel enclosed or cramped thanks to the open shelving, but there is a definite sense of privacy and distance from possible distractions outside of the ‘cabin’. By using books and shelves to define it’s boundaries within the library, Yamakoya functions harmoniously with its surrounding environment. So, to recap in two words: love it 🙂

Thanks to: Spoon & Tamago for spotting this wonderful design

If you enjoyed this article, the Sifter highly recommends: The Yarra House: Winner of the 2009 Australian Interior Design Awards – Colour in Residential Interiors