general research
GENERAL RESEARCH OFF-SITE
Designed by architect Shin Ohori of General Design for Setsumasa and Mami Kobayashi, founders of General Research. Located in the Chichibu mountain range northwest of Tokyo, the site serves as both a personal weekend shelter and a field-testing ground for product development.
The structure is built on an elevated platform using locally harvested larch wood and features removable walls made from fiber-reinforced plastic. It includes two yellow dome tents used as permanent sleeping areas—one placed on a secondary deck and the other on the roof of the main volume. The central enclosed space houses a kitchen and dining area.
The shelter is equipped with electricity, hot water, internet access, and basic amenities, including a clawfoot bathtub. The location is remote but accessible, allowing the Kobayashis to engage in maintenance tasks and outdoor work while still performing professional duties remotely. The architecture is intentionally simple and functional, emphasizing modularity, environmental responsiveness, and a hybrid of modernist design with primitive outdoor living elements.
The project operates as a live-in testing platform for lifestyle and gear integration in a real-world setting, merging domestic space with performance wear prototyping. It represents an approach to architecture and living that prioritizes adaptability, utility, and a direct relationship with the natural environment.
