Embracing a less-is-more design approach, the Schemata Architects-designed Human Hub Tenneiji Soko was named FRAME Awards' Co-working Space of the Year.

In last year’s FRAME Awards issue (FRAME 155), we discussed the end of abundance and posed the question: Should designers respond in kind by producing the bare minimum? In other words, should they ‘undesign’ by using and adding as little as possible? It was certainly a successful strategy for Schemata Architects in the design of the Human Hub Tenneiji Soko in Fukushima, Japan. The jury praised the minimal intervention approach; in the words of Maarten Jamin, founder of Bs;Bp: ‘Reuse is sustainable by nature. There is not much in terms of design, but it looks good.’

Schemata Architects transformed the 54-year-old factory of lacquerware company Sekibikodo into a hub for cultural exchange to keep traditional craftsmanship alive. The ground floor houses a workshop, store, shared kitchen and café, while the first floor serves as a co-working space for local smart-city ventures. The project upcycles old regional materials, with the interior and furniture designed to allow staff and artisans to create and modify the products themselves. 

‘Despite the budget constraints, Human Hub feels very organic and comforting, showcasing sustainability in various ways,’ said jury member Agata Kurzela, founder of Agata Kurzela Studio. ‘Designed as a space in flux, the project avoids a traditional “finished” state, and this evolving nature gives it a strong appeal.’ Elvira Muñoz, director of interiors and EMEA interior design practice leader of Buildings and Places at AECOM, called it ‘a very original approach’, and was particularly interested in the project’s intention to preserve the knowledge of craftsmanship.