SHORT DESCRIPTION

This space is a long and narrow area with a small frontage but deep in the back, located a short distance from the intersection of the Yawata River and a railroad crossing in Hiroshima City. To positively embrace the space's unique characteristics and highlight its slenderness, we designed a single pathway that extends from the entrance to the back of the salon, connecting various functional areas of the hair salon. To attract new customers to Iguchi, a growing bedroom community for young families, we proposed the creation of a family VIP room. Typically, VIP rooms are placed at the back of establishments to ensure privacy. However, we felt it was not ideal for customers to walk in a straight line through a long, narrow space, as it would draw undue attention from others. Therefore, we boldly placed the VIP room at the very front of the store. The challenge here was visibility. The more private the space, the more enclosed it feels, increasing the risk of it being overlooked and unused. To address this issue, we installed a folding screen made of galvanized iron plates, allowing the height of the opening to be adjusted flexibly. The folding position can be adjusted in four steps: the higher the screen, the narrower the folding area and the larger the opening. This adjustability lets the opening height match children's eye level and allows for controlled connections to the outside, based on the occupants' preferences. This creates a dynamic facade that changes constantly, providing a sense of security and a special, exclusive space for families. We hope that this single straight-line salon design will feel like a ray of light to the community, offering a welcoming space for those who pass by and feel the stress of the nearby railroad crossing.