SOCIETY 2022.06.30

Designing a space in scaffolding? Aiming for a gallery space in the city

"Scaffolding" is a temporary equipment that is often used during the construction and renovation of buildings. It all started when we received an inquiry from a person who wanted to use the scaffolding as a wall base to create a space as a gallery space. Did they decide to use scaffolding to design their spaces? And what do they think the scaffolding has potential?

We spoke with Riku Shitara, the representative of Taneli Studio, a collaborative studio in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, which brings together painters, sculptors, ceramists, photographers, and filmmakers, and Suzuki Yuta of Craut, a first-class architectural firm that designs not only spaces but also the relationships between people and objects.

Text: Yui Sato
Photo: Kazuya Shibayama

INDEX

PROIFILE

Riku Shitara: Painter. Representative of "Taneli Studio" in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture. He rented an abandoned building that used to be an electronics store in the shopping district and established the shared studio "Taneli Studio".
Yuta Suzuki: Representative of Kraut Architectural Office. Involved in interior design, exhibition booths, and a variety of other spatial designs.

From the left: Yuta Suzuki of Kraut and Riku Shitara of Taneli Studio

We focused on scaffolding from the realization that we wanted to create a cool gallery space with new materials rather than the wood we were used to

What inspired you to use scaffolding for your gallery space?

Suzuki: I've had a relationship with Mr. Shitara of Taneri Studio for a long time, such as using this place for model making. I also felt that it was a place that was constantly being created and changed by the people who use Taneri Studio.

At first, Mr. Shitara asked us to build a white wall for the gallery by building a base with wood, but I thought that scaffolding would be better, so I proposed to Mr. Shitara the idea of building a wall with a base structure of scaffolding.

A typical gallery wall is made of wood, but perhaps you chose not to use wood because you wanted to create a different atmosphere than usual.

Suzuki: The wall itself was planned to be used permanently for the exhibition. However, I thought that if you build it out of wood, there will be nothing that will expand from there, or that if you just make a box out of wood, there will be no expandability or variability from there.

Shitara: With the way we've been doing things, people end up doing things the way they always do, so we were worried that we wouldn't be motivated. However, when Mr. Suzuki proposed scaffolding, the members of Taneri Studio were very engaged, as if to say, "scaffolding good!" I felt like I was able to get everyone involved.

When we received the proposal, we couldn't imagine what the scaffolding would look like, but on the contrary, it was interesting, and when we finished assembling it, everyone was like, "Wow!"

After actually creating a space with scaffolding, what is your impression of scaffolding now?

Shitara: Today, we worked on assembling scaffolding tails in preparation for the exhibition, and we were able to assemble them more quickly than we had imagined. What I felt there was that scaffolding can be used for various events, and it can be created in a full-fledged space, so I had the impression that it was free. scaffolding can be used to increase or expand space. As I was assembling it, I came up with a number of ideas, and when I assembled it, I realized that the use of scaffolding is not limited.

Suzuki: Together with Mr. Shiraku, I felt that the construction was extremely fast. When I am involved in architectural design, I always think that when creating an architectural space, the degree of freedom of the space increases depending on how the people who use the space can use it as they want, and there is value in being able to customize a place that is like a vessel where activities can be tolerated.

Exhibitions and talk events will be held here, and in the future it will become a public space in the city.

I felt that the scaffolding had a promising future in being used for applications other than construction. What do you think scaffolding has potential?

Suzuki: We have designed spaces not with the idea of "just being cool" or "just having a good design," but with the idea of creating a place where value is created when people use them. Even if you have never assembled or touched it, if you can get a little guidance and acquire the know-how of assembly, you can freely assemble and disassemble it afterwards, and I thought it was the best tool to expand the value to new places.

I think that the possibility of using scaffolding freely for space and people will be born in the future. In addition, I feel that the place created with scaffolding is not complete, but will continue even after the space is created.

The big difference between wood and scaffolding is that it is quite sturdy and safe for people to ride on, even though it is a combination of posts.

Shitara: It only took about an hour to assemble this time, but it's pretty sturdy. It's amazing how simple it is to assemble and yet so sturdy. You can see just how sturdy it is, so it's reassuring.

You assembled the exhibition space with scaffolding, but what kind of users did you have in mind when creating the space?

Shitara: We would like to use this space to hold art exhibitions, artist workshops, talk events, etc. Taneli Studio itself is like a tenant building, and the cafe next door is also a tenant. The cafe has a gallery that is independently run by the cafe owner, but there is no gallery that Taneli Studio members can use freely, so we are developing that space this time. We want to make it a public space that artists and creators like us, and people from the shopping district, can feel free to enter.

Taneli Studio is basically a studio for artists and creators, and unlike a restaurant or other store, art works are created inside the studio every day, making it easy for it to become a black box, and it is difficult to know what goes on inside from the outside.

Taneli Studio is now in its fifth year and has become stable. We would like to create a place where Taneli Studio members can introduce the type of art they are making, and a place where we can hold experimental exhibitions that would be difficult to do in exhibitions, special exhibitions, or commercial venues, and we would like to disseminate and interact with the outside world.

This will increase the opportunities for people to see the works of artists. How do you want visitors to feel?

Shitara: This place, located in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, is far from the center of Nagoya, but I want people who come from far away and neighbors to enjoy the space itself. I wanted people to enjoy not only the work but also the space, so in that sense, I think it's important to have elements that make the space cool with scaffolding. I want to create a space where people can feel "I'm glad I went to Seto."

You can enjoy the shopping street, enter the café next door, and enjoy the cool gallery made of scaffolding and the new art of young artists on display there. I want to make sure that you go home feeling satisfied.

I'm excited to see how this space will develop.

Suzuki: I'm looking forward to it, and I'm curious to see how Shitara and other artists will use this place. When I look at various exhibitions, I see that there are various ideas for scale, scale, and presentation of various works, and I think that there is a possibility that we can further expand them using the combined foundation of scaffolding in terms of places and meanings that can fulfill them as much as possible.

The freedom and expandability of art and scaffolding materials have a high affinity, and I would be happy if people could feel that it was a good thing to have an opportunity there. In that sense, I think it was really good this time. We're still building space, so we're just getting started.

Working on new space design starting from space design in scaffolding

After actually assembling the scaffolding this time, did you want to use the scaffolding to create future spaces?

Shitara: I'd like to use it. I still want to expand it. Only about 10% of the total space has been created. It would be nice if we could do it all in scaffolding, but that's not possible, so I'd like to expand the scaffolding space in the back.

Suzuki: This building still has two and third floors, and it seems to be linked to the café next door, so I think it is conceivable that scaffolding will actually expand from here. If you have scaffolding, you can create space, and buildings can be built with scaffolding.

Shitara: If you put a roof on it, it looks like it will be a house. We would like to expand this area more and more in the future. The illustration is still ideal, but I'm thinking of breaking through the walls.

I was surprised to hear that the ceiling was blown out of place when assembling the scaffolding.

Shitara: That's about as much as I will. This will make it interesting as you expand it. scaffolding So you can change the shape of the design.

Suzuki: scaffolding is really variable, isn't it?

I'd love to see the finished product soon, so when do you expect the space you've created to be completed?

Shitara: It is scheduled to be completed by the end of July. The Aichi Triennale, which is held once every three years in Aichi Prefecture, will be renamed the World International Art Festival from this year. We are planning to open this place at the time when Aichi is excited about art at an international exhibition where artists from all over the world gather. At that time, I am thinking of holding an exhibition at this new gallery. In addition, we are planning a talk event on July 23rd at Taneri Studio. I would like you to come and actually feel the space and art.

In the future, I would like to rent not only Taneri Studio but also an abandoned factory to create a space with scaffolding. I'm looking forward to the future.

Taneli Studio
A collaborative studio for painters, sculptors, ceramists, photographers, and filmmakers
1-31-6 Suehirocho, Seto City, Aichi Prefecture
WEB:https://www.taneristudio.com/