Atelier Soler Building and Spatial Design is an architectural and design studio based in Japan which considers the phenomenal and and poetic spatial experience in its ideas and design

Any place settled by people is a canvas for human experience which is adds to the page to the spirit of site. These layers interaction and connections worthy of photograph is a catalogue of the places spirit which inspires its future.

Sometimes these layers of stories are lost in an ever changing urban economy which needs to be told.

The project is a series of Kaya(mosquito net) which is a traditional craft in this town. But because of modern conveniences, like air-conditioning, it has become a dying craft. The proposal is a series of Kaya (33 pieces long) in a 100m stretch of an unused canal near on the edge of Nara Machi.

Nara-machi Projection is a celebration of this historic town’s past and present through sharing of the resident’s stories, history, memory of place, atmosphere and its people.

The images are divided into 5 categories: Person, People, Children, Texture and Scenes. These images are projected on a traditional “Kaya” (traditional mosquito net) where layers of images merge in the same spirit as Naramachi’s past is evident in the present.

These projections are also scattered around the town for the residents and visitors to view and experience as you walk through the unique town of Nara-machi.

Japan, especially in small traditional towns are quite private people and usually keep a different face in private and public. One of the challenges where convincing its residence to share a private image/ memorable photograph in public and share a deep story. This is a very understandable concern but once the projection merge with each other through the translucent Mosquito net (kaya) the images becomes the one essence.

Most of the time, stories of a place are lost in this ever changing urban setting. A larger and longer series of projection can be proposed in urban setting to tell stories of a city and its place in history through a series of projection coming from its local residence.

Nara City
Nara Prefecture
Nara-Machi Yuho community organisers

We start all our projects from a blank slate and we take inspiration from the place and its people. In this case, we use the tradition craft to create a modern interpretation and use of the material