The Way of Flowers: Ikebana Shophouse Tower in Parnell

Ami Ishibashi. 
Tutor: Michael Milojevic. 

Situated at the heart of Parnell, this project aims to design a shophouse tower in which private life and making is vertically linked to the ground level La Cigale Market. I chose Ikebana (traditional Japanese flower arrangements), as my market product and sort out how I could architecturalise the spatial qualities of an Ikebana arrangement.

Ikebana artistry was initially explored through the perspective of a “Kadouka”, where I experimented with the formation of a scalene triangle delineated by 3 points: Heaven, Man and Earth. It occurred to me that the distinct spatial qualities in which Ikebanas are arranged would reflect in a similar way to how architecture harmonises between people, nature and the built environment. Architecture engagement with nature thus became an important concept for this project.

Fostering a culture of production and market living for an ikebonist was another key objective. The greenhouse community-amenity, Ikebana store, tea-room, and shophouse (Levels 0,1 and 2) have a strong vertical connection to enhance the live-work relationship of the shop owner with her Ikebana store and shophouse. Alongside these typologies, the tower accommodates a mix of residential types including a double-height co-living unit, x2 single floor live-work apartments and a luxury penthouse.